Murray still in the hunt
MELBOURNE, Australia — Andy Murray is still around at the Australian Open, only one victory away from doing what do what no British man has done in more than 70 years: win a Grand Slam tournament singles title.
Murray beat Marin Cilic 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 today in a semifinal to advance to Sunday's championship match. He'll take on the winner of Friday's semifinal between three-time Australian Open winner Roger Federer and 2008 finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
If Federer wins it will mean a rematch of the 2008 U.S. Open, where the Swiss star beat Murray in straight sets. That was the 22-year-old Murray's only trip to a Grand Slam singles final, where his loss continued a streak of no British man winning a major since 1936.
Murray expects Federer to be across the net from him on Sunday night at Rod Laver Arena.
"Tsonga's played a lot of sets. He's going to be a little bit tired like Cilic was, but you never know with him. He's a great player," Murray said. "Still, I expect Federer to come through."
Earlier today, Serena Williams and Justine Henin won their semifinals over Chinese opponents to advance to Saturday's final. Williams beat Li Na 7-6 (4), 7-6 (1) while Henin wasted little time beating Zheng Jie 6-1, 6-0.
The last British man to win at the Australian Open was Fred Perry in 1934. Perry won Wimbledon in 1936, the last British man to win there, a drought that has worn heavily on the psyche of players such as Murray, Tim Henman and others before them.
Murray is the first British man to reach the Australian final since John Lloyd in 1977 and the first to reach two Grand Slam finals in the Open era.
Murray used to joke several years ago that when he lost he was Scottish, and when he won the media referred to him as British. He could make everybody happy in the United Kingdom if he breaks the drought on Sunday.
"I'm really looking forward to the final now," Murray said.
Serena Williams got some help from her sister for her semifinal win. After Venus Williams lost in the quarterfinals to Li, ending any chance of an all-Williams semifinal, she did all she could to ensure that her sister would be there.
"She told me how to play her and what to do," Serena said. "It always helps when you have someone who can help you out."
Serena Williams recorded her 50th career win at Melbourne Park and advanced to her fifth Australian Open final. Henin is playing in her first Grand Slam tournament in two years since ending a 20-month retirement.
It was the first time that two Chinese players had advanced to the semifinal of a major, but Williams and Henin stopped the numerous Chinese flags from being raised too often in jubilation.
