Battle of last 2 GS title winners in 2nd semi

Roger Federer has won only one Grand Slam title (and made one other final) since his last Aus Open victory in 2010.  In that time Novak Djokovic has won four and made three other finals (not including this year) while Rafa Nadal has won five and made three other finals.  Little wonder Roger is hungry for success here in 2013.

His opponent in tonight's semi final, Andy Murray has made the past two Grand Slam tournament finals, losing to Federer at Wimbledon and defeating Djokovic at the US Open for his maiden major victory.  In many respects Murray deserves at least equal favouritism for the semi final here; his exploits at Grand Slam level are on the increase while Roger's have waned, Wimbledon last year aside.

However, let us throw the stats and recent history out the window because judging this match on what we have seen so far this tournament is the best method.  Federer managed to defeat Tsonga in what was probably the best match of the tournament to date, and he did that even though the better tennis was arguably played by the French talent.  It proves as it has countless times through Federer's career that he can find a way to gather his best and apply it on the key points.  For the two tie breaks against Tsonga, Federer was focused more than at any other stage of the match.  Hopefully Tsonga will learn from that.

Murray is further advanced in the focus stakes and Roger would require all his unmatched powers of concentration to match it with the third seeded Scot.

No secret about the respective basic tactics employed from the very start with Andy Murray prepared to attack to create his opportunities while Roger Federer preferred a more defensive risk mitigation strategy attempting to draw Murray into error.

Together an attractive tennis match was supplied, and as early as the second Roger Federer service game the proactive Murray reaped rewards.  His variety of shot making set up multiple break points following one which was saved by a Federer winner in the opening game.

This time Federer could only escape three before being forced into a mistake by Murray who now led 2-1.

Federer could not convert his chance in the following game as Murray saved with an ace, continuing his healthy output of winners.

Federer appeared to have no answer to Murray's game, and made no discernible adjustment where necessary to his own, having to fight off more break points in the seventh game to avoid being down 5-2 with Murray serving for the set.  That he did says volumes for his mental fortitude and ability to respond under extreme pressure.

However, Murray kept persisting and with winners off both sides again in the eighth game he led 5-3.  Federer could only do what was within his direct control and that was hold serve which he did comfortably, but he could not prevent Murray from serving out the set and confirming an impressive start to the semi final.  Of concern apart from the obvious loss of the set must have been Federer's failure to win enough points on his first serve, something that Murray was able to rely on as a weapon with a good percentage of legal first deliveries.

Whereas Federer had to deal with a number of break points in the opening set, the second set was notable for its complete absence of one for either player.  The set was played on the server's terms and the number of winners was high, Roger lifting his rate in this area as well.  Nothing could prevent the need for a tie break and Murray must have been aware of Federer's success with these deciders especially at this Aus Open.

Federer lost the first point on his own serve, then Murray joined in losing the next two on his, all with nervous mistakes.  Federer maintained the mini break until at 4-3 his backhand failed and it was 4-4.  Murray at 4-5 held one of his serves for 5-5 but a Federer backhand winner set up set point which the Swiss star swallowed gleefully.
 
One set all and the tie break king reigns still.

Murray served first in the third and angry from his failure in the previous set used the energy to good effect with a strong serving display.  His first serve percentage was reasonable but it didn't matter because Federer made no impact on his second delivery whenever it was needed.  Federer, however, could not string a decent set of first serves together, and when he missed he was easy fodder for Murray who won most times on the second ball.

Murray could not press his serving advantage into scoreboard pressure for most of the set but at 2-3 the number two seed did face break points, one of which he side stepped successfully before crashing to a 2-4 deficit.

The next few games were flushed with winners, but even though Federer could claim a relatively easy hold in game eight, both the seventh and ninth were just as simple for Murray, with two aces in both, the final one finishing the set 6-3.

Now Federer needed five sets as he did against Tsonga in the previous match.

The potency of the Murray first serve dissipated in the fourth set, as Federer managed to win quite a few points off it, and in doing so lifted the competitiveness of his whole game.  Murray missed out on a chance for an early break due to a Federer forehand winner which helped the second seed gain a 1-0 lead.

Murray played a shocker in the fourth game with three terrible shots setting up as many break points for Federer.  Two were saved with Murray retribution in the form of an ace and a heavy ground stroke, but he blew the comeback with another failed forehand and Federer had a 3-1 advantage with serve in hand.

At 4-2 and 30-15 on his own serve Federer appeared to be sailing smoothly, but forehand winners from Murray highlighted a string of points which ended with him up breaking back for 3-4 and with a chance to level the set.

The eighth game lasted several deuces and Federer had a break point which would have given him a chance to serve for the set.  However, Murray ground his way to the end of the game and 4-4 was the result.

At 5-5, Federer repeated Murray's fourth game disaster with a trio of errors of his own creation.  The break for 6-5 in Murray's favour appeared to be the final nail, with the Scot's serve to come.

At 30-15 the finish line could be almost touched but Federer attacked hard for one of the few times in the match and it broke through Murray's defence, winning three straight points for the break and 6-6.
Tie break territory in which Federer revels and which Murray sometimes can lose his bearings.

Federer dominated the tie break, never giving the rattled Murray a look in.  Centimetres from victory the third seed now had to face up to a fifth set;  the only good news was that he would be first to serve.

For the final set, Murray switched his serving efficiency back on and he was once again impregnable on both first and second attempts.  Federer immediately was vulnerable, relying on second serve almost half the time and failing to win with it most of those times.

Additionally the errors all over the court contributed to a difference between the players while not truly representative of the gap over the entire match, certainly was a better reflection of the dominance of Murray than the five set win about to occur.  That result would owe more to Federer's unequalled skill to take the tiniest opening and yank it wide open into a game or set winning scenario, than to a particularly close on court contest.

Andy Murray won the semi final, his first win over Roger Federer in a Grand Slam tournament, and the score will always read 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-7 (2-7) 6-2.

The final will be between the two who contested the last Grand Slam tournament final - the 2012 US Open, and indeed the two most successful players at Grand Slam level of the past year - Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.