Confident Murray set for battle with Nadal in last four

Andy Murray scrapped his way through to the French Open semi-finals for the first time yesterday and then declared: “I can beat Rafael Nadal”.

The world No 4 will take on the five-time Roland Garros champion tomorrow after coming through a topsy-turvy clash with Juan Ignacio Chela 7-6 (7/2) 7-5 6-2.

Murray has now made the semi-finals of three clay-court events this year after losing close matches to Nadal in Monte Carlo and Novak Djokovic in Rome, and he believes he can make it third-time lucky to reach his first final on the surface.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said: “I think in the build-up to the French I was playing very well, and now I’m going to have to get that level out on Friday and sustain it for a long period to beat Rafa.

“But I feel I can do it. I have to play a very consistent match and I have to be mentally strong. Tactically I’m going to have to be very good. So I can definitely win. I just need to play my best.”

After losing the first five games to Viktor Troicki in his fourth-round match, Murray again started badly yesterday, although this time his injured right ankle was not to blame.

The Scot trailed 4-1 with a double break for Chela, who was in the last eight for the first time since losing to Tim Henman in 2004, but saved three set points to force a tie-break.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After winning that comfortably and taking a 5-2 lead in the second set it looked like Murray had turned the corner but Chela fought back to level only for the Scot to break again, and this time he made no mistake.

The third set was more routine as Murray at last took full control against a man he has now beaten at the French Open three years in succession.

Explaining the strange pattern of the match, which featured 13 breaks of serve, he said: “It was just very up and down.

“The wind obviously doesn’t help but it was just a really scrappy match.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I didn’t start particularly well then I got a little bit better and I started moving a bit better towards the end of the first set.

“Then I got up in the second and maybe lost concentration a little bit, which you can’t afford to do against someone like Juan, who has a lot of experience on this surface. And it’s something I definitely won’t get away with against Rafa.

“Then in the third set I played better, but it was just very scrappy.

“I didn’t think the standard of tennis was particularly good. I struggled a bit with my rhythm but I got through in straight sets.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Murray becomes the first British man since Fred Perry to reach the last four at every grand slam, and that was not something he expected to achieve when he rolled his ankle in a third-round win over Michael Berrer on Saturday.

The Scot, who has certainly been helped by a kind draw, has also got this far without playing his best tennis, from which he is taking encouragement.

“I’m surprised I’m here, to be honest, because I haven’t actually played that well,” he said. “Aside from everything else that’s happened, I haven’t played particularly well.

“That’s a very good sign for me because a few months ago I was not playing well and losing badly. I’m glad that I’m here but now I’ve got two days to rest up, recover, and get ready for Rafa.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Murray was certainly less affected by his ankle than he was against Troicki and he is optimistic it will continue to improve.

He added: “It’s definitely getting better with each day. You gain confidence more with the movement each time you play a match.

“At times I still wasn’t moving great. I was moving a lot better forward (yesterday) but sideways could still definitely be better. It was nothing major but I now need to do all the right things again – lot of treatment, a lot of icing.”

Chela, 31, feels Murray does have the game to win a major, adding: “I think he can win grand slam tournaments.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“He’s a very complete player and he can mix it up a lot. He does everything well and he can play against any player.”

Nadal found his ‘A’ game just when he needed it to beat Robin Soderling and reach the semi-finals, but he remained cautious about his chances of winning the tournament for a sixth time.

The Spaniard knew a repeat of the struggles he has experienced this fortnight against the only man to have beaten him at Roland Garros would put his hopes of further progress in serious doubt.

But Nadal’s incredible record on the Paris clay indicated he would lift his game and that is exactly what he was able to do, with the world No 1 winning 6-4 6-1 7-6 (7/3).

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I played better, much better,” said Nadal. “I was able to move very well, better than in any other matches in this tournament. I had the feeling I was really covering the court much better and I was able to run a lot better.

“He was a very tough opponent and I was able to put him out of the court. What I like is to play a bit slower with higher balls, and I was able to play that game.”

After dominating the first two sets, Nadal looked in complete control when he broke Soderling again at the start of the third.

The fifth seed dug deep, though, and, after levelling proceedings at 2-2, he then created three opportunities to break Nadal for a second time and serve for the set.

It was not to be, however, and the Spaniard played a superb tie-break to clinch victory.