Past finals count for nothing as Murray fights back

Murray sealed another shot at the title after coming from behind to win an epic five-set battle with Canada’s Milos Raonic 4-6 7-5 6-7 (4/7) 6-4 6-2.

The victory puts Murray through to his fifth Melbourne final and a fourth against Djokovic, to whom he has previously lost in 2011, 2013 and last year.

The world No 1 has dominated the match-up overall too, leading the pair’s head-to-head 21-9 and winning 10 of their last 11 meetings.

It means the British No 1 is the clear underdog ahead of the clash but he has stretched Djokovic before and can take belief from others who have turned the tide.

Stan Wawrinka knocked the Serb out in the 2014 quarter-finals after a run of 14 straight defeats and went on to win his maiden grand slam on Rod Laver Arena by beating Rafael Nadal for the first time in 13 matches.

“The previous disappointments, it’s one tennis match, it doesn’t matter what’s happened in the past really,” said Murray.

“It’s about what happens on Sunday. People like to read into what’s happened in the past, but Stan beat Rafa in the final here. I don’t think he’d ever won against him in 13 attempts.

“When he beat Novak here, the same thing as well. There’s no reason it’s not possible for me to win.”

To pull it off Murray is likely to need all his physical reserves but the Scot’s marathon battle with Raonic, which took four hours and three minutes, may have lasting effects.

Murray also has one day less to recover than his opponent, who played his semi-final on Thursday, and the top seed spent 104 minutes fewer beating Roger Federer in four sets.

“I think obviously if you play a quick match on the Friday, it doesn’t really make a huge difference,” said Murray.

“Obviously if you play the five sets it isn’t ideal but Novak also won here the time we played five hours and then he played a six-hour final.

“So it’s doable.”

Murray was twice a set down against Raonic, who served 23 aces to Murray’s nine and hit 72 winners to the Briton’s 38.

The world No 2, however, gradually picked up the Canadian’s booming serve and stayed strong on his own, conceding the break only once during the entire match.

“When you play against someone who is tough to break like Milos, you need to protect your own serve to put pressure on them,” said Murray.

“Against anyone, it is one of the most important shots, if not the most important, especially tonight.”

Raonic, bidding to reach his first major final, was hampered by an injury to his right adductor muscle from the end of the third set and by the fifth he was severely impaired.

Murray took full advantage, breaking twice to win the decider with ease as the usually placid Raonic vented his frustration 
by banging his racket on the ground.

“It is probably the most heartbroken I’ve felt on court but that’s what it is,” said Raonic.

“Maybe that’s why I lashed out as I did at the start of the fifth set. I guess that was just the whole frustration of everything getting out.”

For Murray, the joy of reaching a ninth grand slam final is accentuated by his brother’s success after Jamie made the final of 
the men’s doubles, to be played today.

It is the first time two brothers have reached separate finals at the same grand slam since Lawrence and Reginald Doherty at Wimbledon in 1906 and the 
first time ever at the Australian Open.

“I haven’t watched any of his matches here,” Murray said of his brother Jamie.

“I try not to watch. I find it pretty stressful to watch so I won’t watch the match.

“But, yeah, for it to be the first time to happen is incredible really. I never would have expected that.

“You’re not going to see it very often. We should enjoy it and be proud of it because it’s a tough thing to do.”