Murray out to keep American dream alive
The 21-year-old Scot has not beaten new world number one Rafael Nadal in any of their five meetings to date.
Yet, as sixth-seeded Murray prepares for the first grand slam semi-final of his career, his Spanish opponent has handed him a big confidence booster.
Having come from a set down to defeat unseeded American Mardy Fish in the small hours of Thursday morning in New York, Nadal admitted he was not at the peak of his powers and needed to find some form.
The Spaniard — who is looking to add a third grand slam title this year to his French Open, Wimbledon and Olympic triumphs — said: “I’m not playing like two or three weeks ago in Beijing.
“But if you’re in the semi-finals, there has to be something good there. For sure, I’m doing well.
“The important thing I have another match for try to improve a little bit more. I hope to be at 100% for the semi-finals.”
Today’s clash, should it escape the gloomy forecasts of heavy rain throughout the day as Tropical Storm Hanna sweeps the American East Coast, will be just as much a milestone in Nadal’s career Murray’s.
The Spaniard is also making his first appearance in the last four of the US Open, completing a sweep of reaching the semi-finals of all four grand slams in 2008.
The Scot is concentrating on his own improvement at the end of a year that has brought three tournament victories, including his first Masters Series success in Cincinnati, as well as wins over both Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
It has led Murray to revise the goals he set for himself at the start of 2008.
“I wanted to try to make the Masters Cup this year, and I obviously missed that by one match last year, even though I missed three and a half months with the wrist injury,” the British number one said.
“So I’m happy that I’m pretty sure I’ve confirmed myself in the Masters Cup. But I think how you do in slams is how you’re remembered in tennis, and I wanted to improve my record.
“I’ve definitely done that this year and hopefully I can keep it going in the next match.”
Novak Djokovic, meanwhile, insists he is still not on the same level as Roger Federer as the pair prepare to clash in the other semi-final tonight.
“(Federer is) very experienced, and he knows what he needs to play, how he needs to behave in the big matches in front of the big crowd and in big moments, what shots he needs to play,” Djokovic said.
“I’m getting that experience slowly, but I’m still not at his level.”
Djokovic admitted the fact Federer — who is chasing his fifth straight US Open title — is no longer world number one has taken some getting used to.
“It’s a bit strange to see number two next to (Federer’s) name, you know,” said Djokovic after beating American Andy Roddick in the quarter-finals on Thursday.
“He was so dominant in last couple of years, and I lost to him here the finals last year.”
Federer, who will be appearing in his 18th straight Grand Slam semi-final, had owned the top spot in the rankings for a record 237 straight weeks before losing the honour to Nadal on August 18.
This is the first time since 2002 that the 27-year-old has come into the US Open without having captured at least one Grand Slam title during the year.
He lost to Djokovic — the eventual champion — in the semis of the Australian Open and was beaten by Nadal in both the French Open and Wimbledon final.
Trying to salvage what has been a disappointing year by his lofty standards, Federer will carry a 32-match winning streak at this event into the critical clash with Djokovic.
“I played well this tournament, so I’m really happy to keep (my Grand Slam semi-final streak) alive and give myself an opportunity again to be in the final four,” Federer said.
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