Melbourne: Andy Murray reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open for the first time on Tuesday when defending champion Rafa Nadal quit with a right leg injury midway through the third set.
The Scotsman produced a breathtaking display to open up a 6-3 7-6 3-0 lead when Nadal, who had called in the trainer to treat the area just above his knee earlier in the set, shook his head and informed Murray that he could no longer continue.
Murray's win would have given him real hope that he could be on the verge of ending Britain's 74-year wait for a men's grand slam champion and he will take on Croatia's Marin Cilic for a place in the final.
"I've known Rafa since I was 13 or 14 and he is somebody I have always looked up to," Murray said in a courtside interview. "He is my favourite player to watch because of his energy and I am gutted for him. "I came through a few difficult moments at the start of the match but I played well and I got my tactics right." Nadal's exit was a sad note to a match of the highest quality and will raise doubts about his ability to return to the incredible standards he reached in winning six grand slam titles.
He is still only 23 but has been plagued by knee problems over the past nine months after being on top of the world a year ago when he held the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon titles and was ranked number one.
But his retirement on Tuesday should not detract from the performance of Murray, who is in the best form of his life, and a match that whipped the centre court crowd into a frenzy.
DESTRUCTIVE FOREHAND It was evident from the opening point that this was going to be a match of the highest quality with the pair slugging it out from the outset. Nadal's forehand used to be the most destructive weapon in the game and he would dictate play by pinning his opponents behind the baseline. But the Spaniard has slimmed down after being plagued by injuries over the past year. He still gets around the court quickly but does not overpower opponents like he used to. Murray relies less on brute force, combining his strength with some delightful soft touches and is a master of the drop shot.
He has always been able to fetch more balls than a golden retriever but has worked hard on his fitness over the past two years to last the distance against top players.
Nadal struck the first blow when he broke Murray's serve in the third game to lead 2-1 but the Scotsman won the next four on the trot before wrapping up the first set after 53 absorbing minutes.
The second set was interrupted by a fireworks display that lit up the city skyline but the explosions continued on court even after the Australia Day celebrations died down.
The pair traded early breaks but held their remaining service games, though none were routine. Nadal took a tumble in the 11th game, but dusted himself off and got back to his feet. Britain's former world boxing champion Ricky Hatton, watching from the stands, nodded his approval.
Nadal played a terrible tiebreak allowing Murray to take a two set lead and it was evident he was in serious trouble when he called for a medical timeout. Murray then moved in for the kill, winning the first three games of the third set, before Nadal threw in the towel.
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