Far from the basking sun of Majorca, the tropical storm remnants of Hurricane
Hanna that lashed New York last night seemed to be Rafael Nadal’s salvation
as Andy Murray produced some of the most positive and accomplished tennis of
his young career to put him in sight of a place in the US Open final.
In years to come such problems might be alleviated - as the weather worsened
the US Tennis Association produced an artist’s impression of a $100m
(£56.5m) retractable roof that could be built over the 11-year-old,
23,000-seat Arthur Ashe stadium. The roof is only in the feasibility stage
and will not be ready for next year but for now Murray and Nadal would be
justified in asking why they were dealt such an injustice by the schedulers.
For reasons clear to only the organising hierarchy of the USTA and the CBS
Network, who pay $35m (£20m) a year for the broadcast rights, Murray and
Nadal were finally allowed to start their semi-final in the Louis Armstrong
stadium 1¼ hours after Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic started in
the vast Arthur Ashe stadium.
Weather forecasters had been adamant the weather would take hold on the stroke
of 3pm but were 10 minutes late with their prediction. By the time that
drizzle turned to driving rain and the wind swirled menacingly around
Flushing Meadows, Murray was ushered to the shelter of the locker-room to
ponder a two-set lead over the world No 1 with the scoreboard reading 6-2
7-6 2-3 in his favour, Federer was showered and discussing the finer points
of his victory over Djokovic.
Meteorological radar backed up weather reports that had been running for two
days previous. After the clear spell through the early hours of the
afternoon that Federer utilised to beat his Serbian opponent 6-3 5-7 7-5
6-2, the weather worsened progressively making no play possible for the rest
of the day.
Within 40 minutes both players had been sent back to their hotels, the women’s
final between Serena Williams and Jelena Jankovic, originally scheduled for
an evening start, had been put on hold and the men’s final was penciled in
to be played on Monday for the first time since 1987.
Murray was told he and Nadal would not get back on court until at least 4pm
local time this afternoon, the rigid CBS schedule making room for the
opening day’s American football match between the New York Jets and Miami
Dolphins. Even though Murray played to within sight of victory on the Louis
Armstrong court, the match is to resume on Arthur Ashe.
Tournament referee Brian Early was the man handed the responsibility of
breaking the news to the players. “When everything was explained to them,
they are both very professional and both understood.” For two hours and a
minute Murray had played with commendable composure in decidedly testing
circumstances that had clearly unsettled Nadal. The normally even-tempered
Spaniard had arrived on court clearly disgruntled by the haphazard
scheduling that distinctly favoured the contestants of the first semi-final.
More bizarrely, both Federer and Djokovic had played their quarter-finals a
day after Nadal and Murray but the decision always rests on CBS.
Nadal’s forehand, latterly regarded as the finest shot in tennis through a
sensational run that had seen him win 54 match-es out of 56 and gather the
French Open and Wimbledon trophies as well as Olympic gold, was horrendously
errant.
The consistent form that had unseated Federer from the top of the world
rankings was largely absent and Murray, playing with a confidence accrued
from impressive wins against Juan Martin Del Potro and Stanislas Wawrinka,
was superb. He dropped only three service points in the first set and proved
the calmer in a second-set tiebreak.
Through this tournament Murray, so often tempestuous and immature in times of
stress, had appeared calm and ready. The 21 year-old’s mind appears to be a
lot clearer and able to shrug off minor setbacks that before might have
elevated into major issues. For the second time in as many Grand Slam events
he fought back from a two set deficit, this time against Jurgen Melzer, and
proved himself fitter and more resolute to claim victory. He did not play
anywhere near well against Michael Llodra, his second serve put under the
most intense scrutiny, but weathered the storm. He allowed himself into
prematurely viewing the finish line against Juan Martin Del Potro and lost
the momentum of the match only to reclaim it again at the crucial time.
This time last year Murray required the assistance of sports psychologist
Robert For-zoni, so concerned was he about the mental restraints caused by
worry about his wrist injury. Now he is thinking clearly, although he still
gets involved in the odd spat, he does not let it cloud the ultimate issue
of getting through to the next round. After the Del Potro win he said: “I
don’t care what happens throughout the course of the match as long as I win.
It was a long match, and it would have been easy to get down on myself but I
didn’t do that. I didn’t get too flustered and kept my focus.”
Never has such a state of mind been more apparent than in this exemplary
display against Nadal when Murray was far the more mentally stable player
and warranted such a healthy lead against an opponent that had won their
previous four encounters in straight sets.
Murray was assured and dominant, moving the Spaniard around court almost at
will and rarely sacrificing the point with an untimely unforced error. The
longer the match progressed, the more it seemed that Nadal was unable to
stop offering up break-point opportunities. As the storm clouds gathered he
repeatedly looked to the heavens waiting for the weather to come to his aid.
Murray took the first set in 34 minutes, capitalising on the first opportunity
to get in front of Nadal for the only time since the pair first met in the
fourth round of the Australian Open 20 months ago. On that occasion Murray
proved he was unable to withstand the pressure of an opponent determined to
get back on level terms. This time he was far more durable.
Repeatedly the trajectory of Nadal’s baseline shots allowed Murray the
opportunity to advance the net and kill off the point with a telling volley.
The Spaniard’s serve, never the most potent of deliveries, was ripe for the
attack with more than once Nadal punched at overheads or went against his
normal game plan by trying to volley and ruing the consequences.
Whether Murray is able to pack the nerves of a nation into his racket bag, get
a good night’s rest and return today to finish the job is a massive test of
his resolve. There are those who admire Nadal and claim he cannot play so
badly or without passion two days in a row. They insist he will come to
terms with the injustice that has given Federer a clear upper hand in this
tournament and settle down to overhaul the Scot and set up a third final
showdown with his great rival in as many Grand Slams.
Murray doubtless would beg to differ and he has respected backers. Two days
ago John McEnroe, never reticent, declared: “I have always believed Andy
Murray had the potential to go a very long way. At the start of the
tournament I said he was now the fourth-best player in the world. Now the
rankings will back up that statement. Let’s see if he can go higher. I think
he can.”
McEnroe and his ilk were very much on Murray’s mind almost a fortnight ago on
the opening night of this event when the USTA celebrated 40 years of open
tennis in New York with a parade of former champions. With the notable
exceptions of Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, every male
luminary who was expected to attend turned up. Joining McEnroe was Rod
Laver, John Newcombe, Boris Becker, Ivan Lendl and Federer.
Murray, watching on television, was transfixed. “When I watched the opening of
the tournament on the first night session, and you see all the winners of
the US Open, you realise that winning is what really counts. That’s what I’m
going to try and do.” When the ATP computer clicks into action after the US
Open concludes for another year, he will indeed find himself ranked the
world’s fourth-best tennis player - equal to the highest ranks achieved by
both Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski. Murray has done it just a matter of
months after his 21st birthday while his British predecessors were almost 28
years of age and just 24 respectively when they reached their personal
summits.
Brits in New York
Greg Rusedski Men’s singles finalist 1997, lost to Pat Rafter
Tim Henman Men’s singles semi-finalist 2004, lost to Roger Federer in
straight sets
Mike Sangster Men's singles semi-finalist 1961, lost to Rod Laver
Fred Perry Champion 1933, 1934, 1936, beating Jack Crawford, Wilmer
Allison and Don Budge
How it stands at Flushing Meadows
The remaining men’s semi-final between Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal will
resume at 9pm (UK time) today
The postponed women’s singles final between Serena Williams and Jelena
Jankovic will take place at 2am on Monday morning
The men’s final, between Roger Federer, right, and the winner of the Murray v
Nadal match, will now take place at 10pm on Monday evening
Cara Black and Liezel Huber will play Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur for the
women’s doubles title, starting today at 6pm
The mixed-doubles semi-final was decided on Thursday when Leander Paes and
Black beat and Huber and Britain’s Andy Murray in straight sets
Americans Mike and Bob Bryan won the men’s doubles on Friday. They beat Lukas
Dlouhy and Leander Paes 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (12-10) to claim their sixth Grand
Slam title
