Murray beats Raonic to reach 5th Australian Open final

Iron-clad defense triumphed over all-out attack as Andy Murray overhauled Milos Raonic 4-6, 7-5, 6-7 (7-4), 6-4, 6-2 on Friday to book another Australian Open final against Melbourne Park nemesis Novak Djokovic.

MILOS Raonic took out the first set of the semifinal against Andy Murray, defeating the No. 2 seed 6-4.

A second break soon followed to give Murray a 4-0 lead and though Raonic got on the board following a gruelling fifth game, which saw four break points saved, there was no coming back for the Montenegro-born right-hander.

His game dropped off markedly after the injury, showing occasional pain after points.

Murray, who has lost all four previous finals he has contested at Melbourne Park, will play the championship decider on Sunday night against five-time champion Novak Djokovic, who has never lost a title match on Rod Laver Arena. With Andy’s win, the Murrays became the first pair of brothers to reach the finals of separate events at the same Grand Slam.

A match pitting one of the game’s finest servers against a returning maestro promised fireworks but few would have tipped Raonic to break his opponent to love in the opening game.

“Probably the most heartbroken I felt on court, but that’s what it is”, the 13th seed told reporters afterwards.

“I’m just trying to use what he’s giving me on the court and try to make adjustments to my game if needs be”. It was the Scot who emerged victorious the last time the two played, at the quarter-finals of the clay-court Mutua Madrid Masters – a title Murray would eventually win, beating King of Clay Rafael Nadal.

Murray smelt blood and as Raonic’s injury began to take its toll he showed no mercy, breaking again for 5-2 before a whipped forehand victor sealed progress and another match-up with Djokovic. “The fourth set I thought he was still moving good until the end”.

The final set proved to be a one-way traffic with Murray breaking Raonic twice, in the first and third games. I need to execute my game plan very well, have no lapses in concentration and try and play as well as I can.

The only British TV broadcaster is Eurosport, who have been screening live coverage throughout the tournament. – Jamie Murray (@jamie_murray), who is through to the doubles final, was delighted for his younger brother.

In the third, Raonic comfortably held his serve and had break point on Murray’s service in the 11th game, only for the Scot to hold on.

“There’s no reason it’s not possible for me to win”.

The Djoker appeared on track for his fourth straight-sets win against Federer at Grand Slam level when he took the opening two sets easily, before the Swiss Maestro pegged a set back, leaving the Serb to settle for a four-set victory which saw him take the lead in his head-to-head against his Swiss rival for the first time.

Mirza couldn’t extend her run in mixed doubles, losing with her partner Ivan Dodig of Croatia 7-5, 7-6 (4) to Elena Vesnina and Soares in the semifinals later Friday. “I don’t think that’s like myself to do but sometimes it’s a little bit too much to keep it in”.

The brand’s star tennis athlete Andy Murray will face off against World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the match.

“I haven’t watched any of his matches here”.