Murray into US Open final
Tennis: Andy Murray beat Tomas Berdych - and a howling gale - to move into the US Open final. Murray won a see-saw contest 5-7 6-2 6-1 7-6 (9/7) at Flushing Meadows to set up a clash with either defending champion Novak Djokovic or David Ferrer.
That final will take place tomorrow at 9pm (Irish time) after the weather worsened and caused tournament organisers to halt the second semi-final and send spectators home for their own safety.
In terrible windy conditions - the match had initially been delayed by a rain storm and was interrupted regularly by items, including a chair, blowing onto the court - Berdych came from a break down to win the first set but then Murray took over, sweeping the Czech aside in the second and third.
Murray had two points to lead by a double break in the fourth set but after failing to take that opportunity duly dropped his serve.
Rediscovering his powerful serve, Berdych forced the set into a tie-break, which he led 5-2. But this time it was Murray's time to fight back and he dug deep to clinch his place in the final - his second in New York and fifth at Grand Slam level overall - after three hours and 58 minutes on court.
Murray lost to Roger Federer in the 2008 US Open final and has also lost three more since.
Afterwards, Murray described the conditions as "brutal" adding: "(They are) some of the hardest conditions I've ever played in, that's for sure, and I come from Scotland so that's saying something!"
Asked if he feels this is his time after winning Olympic gold recently, Murray said: "I hope so.
"You can never say for sure, I know how hard these tournaments are to win. David and Novak are top, top players. When the conditions are like this, anything could have happened. I'll give everything in the final."
Murray went into the match as the favourite by ranking and experience at the latter stages of grand slams but also knowing Berdych had won four of their six previous matches.
The big-hitting Czech had also served notice of what a threat he would be by blasting past Federer in the quarter-finals.
Murray piled the pressure on Berdych in a lengthy third game and got the break when the sixth seed drilled a forehand just wide.
Murray thought he had saved a break point in the next game but Berdych protested he had been distracted by his opponent's hat blowing off and, after a heated exchange between the two men and umpire Pascal Maria, the point was replayed and the Czech broke back to 2-2.
Berdych was struggling with his ball toss to such an extent that at times he was serving at little more than 80mph but he was certainly hitting the ball cleanly off the ground.
Holding serve into the wind was the main problem and Murray was furious with himself that he did not put more pressure on his opponent in the 11th game.
That left him serving to stay in the set for a second time and he could not manage it, the Scot struggling to keep his cool as Berdych broke through with a mighty swipe of his forehand.
Murray was clearly fired up and immediately had three break points at the start of the second set, taking the second when Berdych pushed a forehand long.
