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| Murray Outduels Federer and Heads to Australian Open Final | Murray Outduels Federer and Heads to Australian Open Final |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| MELBOURNE — It was a great night of tennis and ultimately a rough night for Roger Federer, who not only swore an oath in the direction of Andy Murray but was also beaten in a Grand Slam tournament for the first time by Andy Murray. | MELBOURNE — It was a great night of tennis and ultimately a rough night for Roger Federer, who not only swore an oath in the direction of Andy Murray but was also beaten in a Grand Slam tournament for the first time by Andy Murray. |
| But Murray’s fine mature performance in the Australian Open semifinal on Friday was in part Federer’s fault of course. | But Murray’s fine mature performance in the Australian Open semifinal on Friday was in part Federer’s fault of course. |
| If Federer had not set the bar quite so stratospherically high for men’s tennis in the 2000s, young Andy Murray might have been tempted to coast on his gifts; might have been content to keep chomping candy bars and guzzling soda and putting in the practice hours but not — to toy with a British expression — the hardest yards. | If Federer had not set the bar quite so stratospherically high for men’s tennis in the 2000s, young Andy Murray might have been tempted to coast on his gifts; might have been content to keep chomping candy bars and guzzling soda and putting in the practice hours but not — to toy with a British expression — the hardest yards. |
| If Federer had not driven Murray to tears in a series of Grand Slam finals and left him reeling with doubt and potential unfulfilled, he might never have felt the need to transform himself into quite such a physical specimen; might never have maximized his speed and his serve or kicked his nasty, energy-sapping habit of grousing at himself, his entourage and the vagaries of a game that is ill-suited to the demands of a perfectionist. | If Federer had not driven Murray to tears in a series of Grand Slam finals and left him reeling with doubt and potential unfulfilled, he might never have felt the need to transform himself into quite such a physical specimen; might never have maximized his speed and his serve or kicked his nasty, energy-sapping habit of grousing at himself, his entourage and the vagaries of a game that is ill-suited to the demands of a perfectionist. |
| But an incomplete commitment — to one’s self, to one’s game — simply wouldn’t cut it in the era that has belonged to Federer more than any other man but has gradually, inexorably become more communal property. | But an incomplete commitment — to one’s self, to one’s game — simply wouldn’t cut it in the era that has belonged to Federer more than any other man but has gradually, inexorably become more communal property. |
| The result was there for him and everyone else to see on a cool Friday night as Murray advanced to the Australian Open final with a five-set victory in this city where it was hard to believe that it had been blowing Sahara hot just the day before. | The result was there for him and everyone else to see on a cool Friday night as Murray advanced to the Australian Open final with a five-set victory in this city where it was hard to believe that it had been blowing Sahara hot just the day before. |
| Federer — in an unusually feisty, palpably hungry mood — played brilliantly at times, leaping high for backhand smashes, wrong-footing Murray with his forehand and slapping exquisitely timed half volleys on the baseline that still — after all these years — managed to surprise Murray with their pace and punch. | Federer — in an unusually feisty, palpably hungry mood — played brilliantly at times, leaping high for backhand smashes, wrong-footing Murray with his forehand and slapping exquisitely timed half volleys on the baseline that still — after all these years — managed to surprise Murray with their pace and punch. |
| But on this occasion, he seemed to be the one always lifting to meet Murray rather than Murray scrambling to meet him in a match that — rare in this age of collegiality at the top — had a genuine edge: oaths and dark looks included. | But on this occasion, he seemed to be the one always lifting to meet Murray rather than Murray scrambling to meet him in a match that — rare in this age of collegiality at the top — had a genuine edge: oaths and dark looks included. |
| After dropping the first set, Federer came back to win the second. | After dropping the first set, Federer came back to win the second. |
| After losing the third, he found himself two points from defeat and then with a few brilliant swipes of his racket, put himself in position to win the fourth. | After losing the third, he found himself two points from defeat and then with a few brilliant swipes of his racket, put himself in position to win the fourth. |
| But the fifth set — beautifully poised to become an exclamation point — devolved into something more muted as Murray broke early and maintained his edge (and cool) with resolve to win 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 6-2 in precisely four hours. | But the fifth set — beautifully poised to become an exclamation point — devolved into something more muted as Murray broke early and maintained his edge (and cool) with resolve to win 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 6-2 in precisely four hours. |
| The anti-climactic finish should not distract from Murray’s achievement. Though he has beaten Federer more often than Federer has beaten him and now leads their career series 11-9, this was his first victory over the Swiss champion in a Grand Slam tournament. | The anti-climactic finish should not distract from Murray’s achievement. Though he has beaten Federer more often than Federer has beaten him and now leads their career series 11-9, this was his first victory over the Swiss champion in a Grand Slam tournament. |
| “I’ve obviously lost some tough matches against him in the slams,” Murray said, “so to win one, especially the way that it went tonight, was obviously nice.” | “I’ve obviously lost some tough matches against him in the slams,” Murray said, “so to win one, especially the way that it went tonight, was obviously nice.” |
| This victory came in a pro-Federer atmosphere that left one wondering whether they should not have handed out cowbells and Swiss chocolates at the gate. | This victory came in a pro-Federer atmosphere that left one wondering whether they should not have handed out cowbells and Swiss chocolates at the gate. |
| “I didn’t realize they played the Australian Open in Zurich,” a British spectator cracked. | “I didn’t realize they played the Australian Open in Zurich,” a British spectator cracked. |
| Murray’s reward for this remarkable victory on the road was a place in Sunday’s final against Novak Djokovic, the No. 1 seed who had the evening off while Federer and Murray played deep into the night. | Murray’s reward for this remarkable victory on the road was a place in Sunday’s final against Novak Djokovic, the No. 1 seed who had the evening off while Federer and Murray played deep into the night. |
| “I’m going to be ready for pain,” Murray said. | “I’m going to be ready for pain,” Murray said. |
| So he should be. With his and Djokovic’s supreme returning and defensive skills and with their consistency off the ground, no would-be winner seems safe when they meet. | So he should be. With his and Djokovic’s supreme returning and defensive skills and with their consistency off the ground, no would-be winner seems safe when they meet. |
| This will be a rematch of the grueling Australian Open semifinal match last year which Djokovic won in five sets on his way to defending his title. | This will be a rematch of the grueling Australian Open semifinal match last year which Djokovic won in five sets on his way to defending his title. |
| This will also be a rematch of the United States Open final last year, where Murray won in five more sets to take his first Grand Slam singles title and where the rallies sometimes extended long enough to generate nervous laughter in the cavernous interior of Arthur Ashe Stadium. | This will also be a rematch of the United States Open final last year, where Murray won in five more sets to take his first Grand Slam singles title and where the rallies sometimes extended long enough to generate nervous laughter in the cavernous interior of Arthur Ashe Stadium. |
| Conventional wisdom says that it should be easier to win a second major title once the first one is finally in pocket. “I have no idea,” Murray said. | Conventional wisdom says that it should be easier to win a second major title once the first one is finally in pocket. “I have no idea,” Murray said. |
| “I’ll see obviously how I feel when I get on the court. I would hope so. The task isn’t any easier. I’m obviously playing Novak again on this court. I mean, this has been his best court for sure. So I’m aware of how tough it will be to win the match.” | “I’ll see obviously how I feel when I get on the court. I would hope so. The task isn’t any easier. I’m obviously playing Novak again on this court. I mean, this has been his best court for sure. So I’m aware of how tough it will be to win the match.” |
| Murray did not drop a set until facing Federer, but he will have one less day of rest than Djokovic because of the Australian Open’s long-standing policy of splitting the men’s semifinals into separate sessions in order to increase revenue. | |
| But the extra day of rest has not proven particularly advantageous to finalists in the past, and Murray looks remarkably fit. | |
| Against Federer he was also the more convincing server: serving 21 aces to Federer’s five; four service winners to Federer’s one and winning 63 percent of his second serves to Federer’s 42 percent. | |
| That last figure was, of course, a tribute to Murray’s returning, and in another twist, he also had 21 forehand winners off his traditionally weaker wing compared with Federer’s 18 off his unquestionably stronger wing. | |
| “I think he made things more difficult for me because in the past, even though he served well, I had the impression I returned better against him,” Federer said. “I regret that a bit, but I think he found the zones very well tonight, and perhaps he won the match for that reason.” | |
| There were plenty of emotional peaks on Friday night but the summit came late in the fourth set with Murray serving for the match at 6-5. | |
| Murray won the first point of the game after an extended rally with a forehand passing shot. As the ball flew past, Federer glared in his direction and appeared to swear. It was hardly Federer’s first oath of the evening and it was unclear whether he was barking at Murray or himself. | |
| Murray clearly took notice, twisted away, pursed his lips and nodded his head repeatedly. | |
| “I mean it wasn’t a big deal anyway,” Federer said. “We just looked at each other one time. That’s okay, I think, in a three and a half hour match. We were just checking each other out for a bit. No, I mean, that wasn’t a big deal for me. I hope not for him.” | |
| Murray also minimized the incident. “I wasn’t that surprised,” he said “I mean stuff like that happens daily in tennis matches. You know, in sport, the stuff that some people say on football pitches and in basketball and all sorts of sports. I mean, it was very, very mild in comparison to what happens in other sports. It’s just one of those things.” | |
| Asked to repeat what Federer said, Murray declined. “It’s not relevant what was said,” he said. “I’m sure Roger won’t talk about it, and I have no interest in discussing it either, because like I say, it happens all the time. People will want to make a big deal of it, and isn’t really a big deal.” | |