NEW YORK: That dour Scot Andy Murray has a chance to become only the second British player and the first since Greg Rusedski in 1997 to reach the final of the US Open.
However he has already achieved a milestone by getting to the semis which is a rarity for a British player. The only other British player to make the semis at the US Open besides Rusedski and Murray is Tim Henman.
“It’s great. Obviously after a match (like he played in the quarters) like that it makes it feel event better. It’s a nice feeling,” said Murray with barely a change of facial emotion.
He did however go on to explain that he was genuinely thrilled but he wasn’t expressing it visually because “the tournament is still going on”.
“I said at the start of the tournament, I want to try to win it; I don't want to lose in the semifinals,” said Murray. “When I watched the opening of the tournament on the first night session, and you see all the winners of the US Open, you know, you realize that winning is what really, really counts.
“That's what I'm going to try and do. I understand getting to the semis is a great achievement, but I want to go a little bit further.”
He will have his work cut out for him because he takes on Rafael Nadal who is the only lefthander Murray has ever lost to … and that’s all five times they have played. Only once has Murray taken a set off the world number one, it was the first time they played and it went to five sets at the Australian open in 2007.
“The one thing that I need to improve is to return better,” said Murray. “The first couple of times I played him I returned very well. The last two or three matches I didn't return well at all. That's the only thing that I need to do. I need to do better.
“I've had a lot of the the match at Wimbledon, if I take that one away, the times I played him on hard courts, I've had quite a few close sets, really tough matches.
“You know, it comes down to who returns better and who gets the breaks of serve. Normally that's the best part of my game. The last few times I've played him, I've not done that.”
Irrespective of what happens the rest of the tournament Murray has guaranteed himself the number four ranking in the world and joins Rusedski and Henman as the only Brits to be ranked that high since the advent of the computer rankings in 1973.
The task of getting through is not one to envy as Nadal will throw the book at Murray. There will be no let up from the Spaniard to is by far the most hype player on the circuit. He never stops moving and just ton watch him make one exhausted.
If Nadal, who has won a staggering eight titles so far this year, goes on to reach the final and ultimately win the whole shebang, his effort could very well be regarded as the greatest single year achievement tennis has seen – French Open, Wimbledon, Olympic Gold Medal and US Open.
He says that his experience in reaching major semifinals is not going to be an issue playing Murray because he is “not playing against a guy who his ranking is 50”.
“I have all the respect for him always, no?” said Nadal. “In Wimbledon, the same respect like right now, no? I know how good is Andy and how good he can play. So I know the only way for a win is play my best tennis, no?
“I did very well in Wimbledon and I played one of my best matches there. I beat him in the semifinals of Toronto, too, but it was a very close match and I played well. My goal is try to find my best feeling and my best performance, all the chance for winnings, play very well for me.
“Andy, when I come here, for sure he know he can be in the semifinals and he can win the title, no? So for sure his first semifinals in a Grand Slam, but he played very important matches. So going to be nothing strange for him, no?”
One thing the two of them have in common is that for both of them it’s a first US Open semifinal, but for Nadal, he is the 21st player in the Open-era to make at least one semifinal appearance at each major. And he and Roger Federer are the only two men to reach the semis of each of the four majors this year.
