h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but Andy Murray has quietly sneaked into the semifinals of the Australian Open.

Rafael Nadal withdrew in the third set with a knee injury...but was already 2 sets down to Murray. Now there's an awful lot of "what-f"ing to be done, but it did look like Murray was pretty well in control of the match. Obviously Tim Henman could go on to lose from such a position, but Murray's not Henman.

What are the chances of him claiming his first Grand Slam?

RF

Without knowing the semifinal draw, I'd have to say pretty decent.

That said, there's still that man Fed.

Who cares? It's only tennis

at kzwg!

RF

He looks pretty damned hot to me

that's cyber assault!

I don't see him winning the whole thing. From what I've seen of him so far, he's still got that same old problem of a pathetically low first serve percentage. His first serve is great, and he wins a fair few points cheaply with that. But his second is awful.

Didn't see the match, but shall watch highlights later; can't believe he would have beaten a fully fit Nadal.

Murray was winning 2-0 (6-3 7-6) and was 3-0 up in the third when Nadal quit. Or do you mean Nadal was not fully fit at the start of the match?

Yes I do mean that. Nadal was out for a long period last year with his knee problem. And he looks a pale shadow of his former self, in terms of muscle bulk...and even intensity somehow. Obviously I don't know for sure how fit he was. But I've heard that his knee problem is pretty chronic, and he just can't play the way he used to.

Hmmm... Having seen Federer look magestic in demolishing Lleyton Hewitt I would have to say it is a big ask.

We shall see, he has probably learned from his US Open final, but gun to the head I would pick Federer as a big favourite.

FB

One thing Murray has in his favour is that he is one of very few players who can consistently beat Federer.

Federer is in awesome form though, that should be a very interesting final.

And I've just remembered as I'm typing this that I said exactly the same thing about Murray and Federer in last years Wimbledon and Murray didn't make it past the semis.

Well, he's up against Cilic, who's the 14th seed (Murray is 5th), so in theory he should beat him. That said, Cilic has just put Roddick out, who was seeded 7th (i.e. expected to do one round better than Cilic). Murray is 3-1 up against Cilic head-to-head, although Cilic won their last match...but Cilic took 5 sets to beat Roddick, whereas Murray has just played a short match against Nadal.

RF

Murray does have a slight tendancy to come unstuck against huge serving big men he is expected to beat mind....

FB

Wasn't watching the Nadal/Murray match this morning but Mr T, who was, said it was one of the most exciting matches in the competition so far.
I'm glad he's through to the next round but wish he'd beaten Nadal fair and square. The only good thing about Nadal dropping out is that Murray should still have plenty to give in his next match. Apparently he's played 10 hours tennis in this competition to date - and his next opponent's played eighteen.

I'm still smiling at reports of Scots Murray fans at the training ground who were heard chanting ... he's got nae chat but he's good wie a bat.

I've been following him in this tournament and I'm going to stick my neck out and say I think he can win it. His last match was against a big server (Isner) and what was interesting was Murray changed his game mid-flow to adapt and win the match. His tactic of slowing his first serve to make sure of keeping them in and avoiding second serves which allow opponents an opportunity to attack (as in Verdasco last season) worked a treat. Murray handled Isner's big serves with ease and just rallied the guy out of the game. Incidentally, his first serve percentage was around 80%.

That tactic wouldn't have worked against Nadal as he can attack first serves and rally just as well as Murray, so again we saw Murray change tactics and do a lot of serves and volleys.

Murray was destroying Nadal today and I don't think it was due to injury. Nadal pulled up suddenly, played two more points and quit. It was a serious problem, not a niggle that was hindering him for a while. I think we may have seen the best of Nadal unfortunately.

Murray isn't the best server or the best returner or the best attacker or defender, but he's by far and away the best thinker in the game and he can change his game plan and tactics on the run. My only concern is he can suffer from lapses of concentration which the big guns will punish.

Murray's gonna win his first Grand Slam

Well, he's through to the final. After dropping the first set to Cilic, he upped his game and dominated the match. Cilic was visibly worn out by the closing stages of the match.

Just that Federer bloke to beat now...assuming he manages to defeat Tsonga.

RF

He looks like Plug.

Yes RF C'mon Andy.

We should have a response thing going on here then on sunday. We've had them before for big sporting events.

See

http://www.britishcomics.com/Plug/images/plughimself.jpg

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/