And with that interview out of the way, Murray is off for some well-earned rest. He’s not got too long to recover before Sunday’s final against Novak Djokovic, who has had an extra day to recuperate. Murray must be knackered after taking more than four hours to beat the excellent Milos Raonic in five sets and there were times when it looked like it wasn’t going to be his day, especially when he lost the third-set tie-break. Raonic played well enough to suggest that he can win a grand slam title one day, but not yet. Instead, for the fourth time in the past six years, the Australian Open final will be contested between the two best players in the world, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. Will the world No1 win his sixth title here or will the No2 finally break his Melbourne duck? Join me on Sunday to find out. See you then. Thanks for reading and emailing. Bye.
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Murray speaks. “It was tough because i played well in that set and in the tie-break he didn’t miss one first serve. It’s frustrating when you don’t have much say in the points, but i started to get a slightly better read on his serve as the match went on.
He’s asked about Raonic’s injury. “He definitely slowed down in the fifth set, which was unfortunate for him. It would have been nice to have played a more competitive fifth set. The fourth set, I thought he was still moving well. You just have to focus.”
What about the prospect of playing Djokovic on Sunday? “A lot of things are important against the best players in the world. You can’t do anything poorly. Novak’s played extremely well, in his last couple of matches in particular. Hopefully this time it can be a different result.”
And finally, a question about Brother Jamie’s progress into the doubles final. “Both my parents will be extremely proud. Not many tennis players come out of Scotland. I never expected to be doing this. For us both to be in a slam final at the same time is pretty incredible. Hopefully he can win tomorrow night.”
Andy Murray beats Milos Raonic 4-6, 7-5, 6-7, 6-4, 6-2!
An escape for Murray on the first point, Raonic reaching a drop volley but whipping a forehand long and wide. Murray then slashes an ace out wide for 30-0 and he earns three match points, reading a forehand pass from Raonic, who’s playing well despite it all, and winning the point with an acrobatic backhand volley. He works Raonic over, waits for the opening and then, when his opponent’s legs have totally turned to jelly, he spears a forehand away to secure his place in another Australian Open final! It’s harsh on Raonic, but there was no stopping Murray in the end. They embrace warmly at the net and Raonic is given a huge ovation as he walks off court. It was a supreme effort from the Canadian, but it wasn’t enough against the remarkable Andy Murray.
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Fifth set: Murray 4-6, 7-5, 6-7, 6-4, 5-2 Raonic* (*denotes server): Given the physical pain he’s in, and the disappointment that must be flooding his mind, it’s some effort from Raonic to hold again, comfortably this time, finishing it off with an ace. Murray will have to serve for the match.
Fifth set: Murray* 4-6, 7-5, 6-7, 6-4, 5-1 Raonic (*denotes server): Murray bangs a forehand long in andymurrayish fashion to give Raonic a 0-15 lead, but he wins the next four points to hold to 15. He’s a game away from his fifth Australian Open final.
Fifth set: Murray 4-6, 7-5, 6-7, 6-4, 4-1 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic looks done as Murray rasps a 221kmh straight back at him to earn two break points. Yet he is determined not to suffer the ignominy of a fifth-set bagel, saving both break points, Murray sending a forehand return wide, Raonic accurate with a subsequent serve. Raonic has a chance to kill the game off, but Murray is pounding on the door, and he earns a third break point. But he lets his stricken prey off the hook, choosing a feathery drop shot instead of finishing it off with a crisp forehand winner, and his execution leaves a lot to be desired. Raonic blasts a forehand down the line for deuce – and then Murray squanders a fourth break point with a slice that sails long. A fifth chance goes begging as well, though that was because of a pumping Raonic ace, and the Canadian somehow manages to hold with another ace. Murray really should be preparing to serve for the match, but he was profligate and Raonic still has hope. Not much, mind you. “Don’t think I’ll get away with pulling that trick on Sunday,” says Simon McMahon. “So I might as well do it now. ANDY MURRAY IS GOING TO LOSE THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN FINAL!!!”
Fifth set: Murray* 4-6, 7-5, 6-7, 6-4, 4-0 Raonic (*denotes server): Murray is like a cat playing with his food now. The only danger is if he gets complacent. That doesn’t look likely. He hoicks a backhand lob over Raonic for 40-0 and he seals the game with his third second-serve ace of the match.
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Fifth set: Murray 4-6, 7-5, 6-7, 6-4, 3-0 Raonic* (*denotes server): This is just cruel, another Murray shot clipping the of the net and dying a death on Raonic’s side for 0-15. Yet he’s determined to battle on and the crowd greet an ace down the middle with a huge cheer. They know he’s wounded, but they like his fighting spirit. Against all the odds, straining every time he pulls back his racket, he takes a 40-15 lead, somehow charging back and forth across the baseline to outlast the manic Murray. Yet Murray fights back to deuce and he earns a break point with some withering forehands. I’ve got a suspicion that Murray is keeping the points going just so he can increase the torture for Raonic, the sadist. Raonic clings on, smashing for deuce, but another errant backhand hands Murray a second break point. Grimacing and gurning, Raonic’s race is run. He nets a backhand and Murray leads by two breaks in the decider. This is surely over.
Fifth set: Murray* 4-6, 7-5, 6-7, 6-4, 2-0 Raonic (*denotes server): Even the net cord is helping Murray now. Raonic tries a drop shot at 15-0. Murray hurtles forward and whips a forehand down the line. It clips the top of the net and flies past Raonic. Murray seals a hold to love with an unsympathetic forward into the corner. Raonic is soldiering on, but the extent of his movement is decreasing at an alarming rate.
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Fifth set: Murray 4-6, 7-5, 6-7, 6-4, 1-0 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic has been so cool, but how will he react now? He begins with a double-fault and then slices into the net, Murray taking a 0-30 lead. He gets it back to 15-30 with a forehand winner, but then he nets one to give Murray two break points. He double-faults. Murray breaks. Raonic’s poker face has disappeared. He smashes his racket to the floor as he walks back to his chair and he’s given a warning for racket abuse. You have to feel for him. It’s the biggest match of his career and he’s really hurting out there, against an opponent who’s going to do everything he can to make him run.
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Andy Murray wins the fourth set 6-4 to level the match!
The trainer came on and the mystery is solved: Raonic’s right groin is bothering him. Yet it doesn’t stop him from winning the first point, crushing a forehand into the corner for 0-15. Murray then tightens up at 15-all, netting a backhand, and Raonic earns two break points, larrumping his forehand into the corner and leaping into an overhead! That is magnificent. Murray is furious with himself again. He’s not serving well. He saves the first break point, though, volleying well, then goes for broke with a sliced second serve down the middle, Raonic only able to net a forehand! Raonic can’t believe it and soon he’s facing another set point, Murray overpowering him with a forehand. He misses another first serve – but he goes for that slice down the middle again with the second serve and Raonic can only slash a forehand long! The match is level again – and how much does Raonic left in the tank?
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Fourth set: Murray 4-6, 7-5, 6-7, 5-4 Raonic* (*denotes server): Serving to stay in the fourth set, Raonic batters an ace down the middle for 15-0, before he cracks a booming forehand away for 40-15. Yet sis first double-fault of the set makes it 40-30, a slack forehand goes wide for deuce and Murray scorches a backhand down the line for a set point. He can’t take it, though, a backhand return drifting wide. Murray challenges, but to no avail, and Raonic earns a game point with a perfect ace out wide. He holds thanks to an ace and a lovely drop volley. Murray will have to serve for the fourth set. It’s Murray. Anything could happen. Your guess is as good as mine. Raonic has the trainer back on.
Fourth set: Murray* 4-6, 7-5, 6-7, 5-3 Raonic (*denotes server): Looking to consolidate that precious break, Murray begins assertively, serving well for a 30-0 lead. Raonic mutters. For the first time in his life, he mutters. His level has dropped. He knocks a backhand wide to give Murray a 40-15 lead. The Eurosport commentators are wondering if something is up with Raonic’s back – yet Murray then screws up two simple shots, a forehand and a backhand, and the game goes to deuce. He berates himself. That was desperate from Murray, who should have wrapped this game up. Instead he’s facing a break point after slashing a forehand into the net. Dearie me. Murray is living on the edge now. He opts for a risky approach to the net and survives by the skin of his teeth, standing his ground and volleying well to save the break point. “Yeaaaaahhhhh!” Murray cries, kneeling and pumping his fist. He summons up every last ounce of his defiance to hold with a couple of huge forehands. That could have been very ugly.
Fourth set: Murray 4-6, 7-5, 6-7, 4-3 Raonic* (*denotes server): Murray begins the game with a deep return, the ball squirting off the line and drawing the forehand error from Raonic, who then slices a backhand into the net for 0-30. This is a huge chance for Murray in a match of such fine margins – and he earns three break points, Raonic forced to swipe a forehand wide on the run. Murray roars. What a pivotal moment this could be. Raonic misses a first serve. He can’t do much with the second. Murray dominates the rally, crunching that backhand and wearing Raonic down, breaking to love when the Canadian nets a weary forehand!
Fourth set: Murray* 4-6, 7-5, 6-7, 3-3 Raonic (*denotes server): Murray was asking the umpire what’s wrong with Raonic after the previous game. He’s not convinced, though he can’t allow thoughts of mind games to disturb his focus. This is a solid enough game featuring a splendid backhand pass down the line from Murray and he holds to 15. On the other side of the net, Raonic doesn’t seem to be struggling with his movement.
Fourth set: Murray 4-6, 7-5, 6-7, 2-3 Raonic* (*denotes server): Murray thinks he’s got the first point when he steers a cross-court backhand past Raonic, but a challenge shows that it was clearly out. What’s the line judge up to? Raonic isn’t happy. He takes his anger out on the ball, whipping his 15th ace past Murray for 30-0, before huge shots off the backhand side helps him into a volleying position for 40-0. Murray fights back to 40-30, but the game gets away from him when a forehand sails long. He’s now talking to himself a lot.
Fourth set: Murray* 4-6, 7-5, 6-7, 2-2 Raonic (*denotes server): And judging by the quality of this drilled backhand down the line for 0-15, whatever’s bothering Raonic can’t be that serious if he’s capable of pulling off shots like that. Yet Murray roars after the winning next two points, even though second serves were inviting for Raonic. Murray holds, Raonic’s returns letting him down. That was tight.
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The players are back. Murray will serve. Raonic didn’t appear to be hurt in that previous game.
Milos Raonic has disappeared to have some treatment on something during the changeover. Murray has also gone off court to gather his thoughts. “I’m picturing Djokovic in full Noel Coward mode right now, reclining, pipe and slippers,” says Simon McMahon. “Maybe they should just give him the trophy after this match ends.”
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Fourth set: Murray 4-6, 7-5, 6-7, 1-2 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic is a set away from reaching his first ever grand slam final. To get there, he’s going to have to beat the world No2. And still the shield is up. We’ve got no idea of what’s going on in his head at the moment. Does Raonic currently have the stoniest face in sport? He holds to 15.
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Fourth set: Murray* 4-6, 7-5, 6-7, 1-1 Raonic (*denotes server): Murray holds to love – but this isn’t an encouraging statistic.
Murray 11-18 overall from two sets to one down in best of five. 2-9 in the last 11 times he has been in this position.
— Stuart Fraser (@stu_fraser) January 29, 2016
Fourth set: Murray 4-6, 7-5, 6-7, 0-1 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic returns after a toilet break and he holds to love at the start of the fourth set. He remains impossible to read. There’s still not even the slightest hint of emotion on that poker face.
Milos Raonic wins the third set 7-6; he leads 6-4, 5-7, 7-6!
Third-set tie-break: Murray 4-7 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic crashes an ace down the middle and the third set is his! Murray is paid to pay for one limp second serve. His old weakness.
Third-set tie-break: Murray 4-6 Raonic* (*denotes server): Murray retrieves a smash – but then he nets a backhand and Raonic has two set points!
Third-set tie-break: Murray* 4-5 Raonic (*denotes server): Raonic nets a forehand return. Murray is just about still in this.
Third-set tie-break: Murray* 3-5 Raonic (*denotes server): Murray clips an ace down the middle.
Third-set tie-break: Murray 2-5 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic wallops another smash away! He’s two points away from winning the third set! Murray challenges in vain.
Third-set tie-break: Murray 2-4 Raonic* (*denotes server): Smash! Raonic’s serve is working.
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Third-set tie-break: Murray* 2-3 Raonic (*denotes server): Raonic jabs a backhand return long. “Woke up to find the Australian Open has brought in some sort of 2nd Place Play-off,” says Mac Millings. “When did that start, then?”
Third-set tie-break: Murray* 1-3 Raonic (*denotes server): Raonic punishes a tame Murray second serve with a contemptuous forehand.
Third-set tie-break: Murray 1-2 Raonic* (*denotes server): Murray nets a forehand return.
Third-set tie-break: Murray 1-1 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic hesitates and incredibly plonks a volley into the net!
Third-set tie-break: Murray* 0-1 Raonic (*denotes server): A searing cross-court forehand return from Raonic is met by Murray, but his low forehand down the line flashes out!
Third set: Murray 4-6, 7-5, 6-6 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic comes into this game having lost only two points on serve in this set, but he drops a third when he starts it with a jittery double-fault. He’s unmoved, though, and he makes it 15-all when Murray can’t hit the target with a backhand down the line. It goes to 30-all, but Murray can’t earn a set point, another backhand down the line going wide after he read a Raonic smash. It would have been an absurd winner. But it’s not. And Raonic wallops a forehand away to force that tie-break. You have to fancy the Canadian here.
Third set: Murray* 4-6, 7-5, 6-5 Raonic (*denotes server): This us impressive from Raonic, who drives a forehand out wide, forcing Murray to stretch and knock one long for 0-15. He has 0-30 again when Murray nets a forehand. Murray is swimming in choppy waters now, but he wins the next two points with some staggering tennis, a courageous second-serve ace that’s followed by a spinning, snorting, taunting backhand drop shot. What a touch. Yet Murray can’t pull clear yet, netting a backhand down the line at 40-30, and the game goes to deuce. This is still on for Raonic. Murray is struggling to make first serves and he’s facing a break point when he’s forced to knock a forehand wide. It’s the first break point of the set. Yet it doesn’t lead to the first break of the net. Murray stays in the rally when a forehand clips the top of the net and stays in, and the exchange ends with Raonic stooping low and netting a backhand. Murray is made of stern stuff. A cleverly disguised forehand brings him a game point and he escapes unscathed with a serve down the middle. Raonic will serve to force a tie-break.
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Third set: Murray 4-6, 7-5, 5-5 Raonic* (*denotes server): Murray is annoyed with himself after pulling a forehand wide on the first point. He probably didn’t have to go for the line there, with the rally finely poised. That was a decent chance to take a 0-15 lead, but that slip allows Raonic to move into a 40-0 lead. A double-fault makes it 40-15, but Raonic holds with an ace.
Third set: Murray* 4-6, 7-5, 5-4 Raonic (*denotes server): Raonic takes a 0-15 lead on the Murray serve again, a series of deft chips enough to find a way past the blur of movement on the other side of the net. Murray then finds himself in trouble when he splutters a forehand into the net, handing Raonic a 0-30 lead, but he stubbornly pulls it back to 30-all, before defending well on the next point for a 40-30 lead, Raonic jabbing a backhand into the net. From 0-30, Murray holds with an instinctive volley and Raonic’s concentration will need to be absolute now.
Third set: Murray 4-6, 7-5, 4-4 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic holds to love. Are we heading for a tie-break?
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Third set: Murray* 4-6, 7-5, 4-3 Raonic (*denotes server): Murray sends a forehand to the Raonic backhand, but the Canadian comes up with a fine shot down by Murray’s feet. Murray scoops the ball up and knocks a backhand volley past Raonic, but the point was already lost. This is a chance for Raonic, especially when he has a look at a second serve, but he can’t take a 0-30 lead, a backhand return going long. Still, the game goes to 30-all. Raonic is pressing, but not quite hard enough, accurate serving getting Murray out of a small hole.
Third set: Murray 4-6, 7-5, 3-3 Raonic* (*denotes server): Finally! Finally, a point goes against the serve, Murray hammering a backhand for 15-all past Raonic, who was stranded at the net. Yet it’s just the one point. Murray isn’t allowed any closer than that, Raonic pinging two aces past him to hold to 15.
Third set: Murray* 4-6, 7-5, 3-2 Raonic (*denotes server): Murray holds to love, swerving a second-serve ace down the middle, and we’ve still not had a point against serve in the third set!
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Third set: Murray 4-6, 7-5, 2-2 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic appears to have shrugged off the loss of the second set and his serve is clicking again, his first ace in a while making it 40-0. He holds to love and we’ve still not had a point against serve in this set. Murray has to be careful.
Third set: Murray* 4-6, 7-5, 2-1 Raonic (*denotes server): Murray adopts the Raonic approach and wins the first point with some neat volleying at the net. He holds to love. We’ve not had a point against serve in this set yet.
Third set: Murray 4-6, 7-5, 1-1 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic doesn’t give anything away in this game, marching to a cool hold to love.
Third set: Murray* 4-6, 7-5, 1-0 Raonic (*denotes server): This is going to be a huge test of Raonic’s seemingly unshakeable character now. Recovering from the disappointment of losing the second set won’t be easy for the Canadian, especially against an opponent as stubborn as Murray, who begins the third set with a regulation hold to love.
Andy Murray wins the second set 7-5 to level the match!
Serving to stay in the second set again, Raonic begins confidently, spanking a forehand away for 15-0. Murray uses up a challenge for no apparent reason, although maybe he’s trying to get into Raonic’s head, break his flow on serve. The ploy, if it is a ploy, works. A Raonic double-fault makes it 30-all and it’s followed by some vintage play from Murray. He goes for a gutsy drop shot, dragging Raonic forward and picking him off with a brilliant forehand from right to left. It’s Murray’s first set point – and when the world No2 hits a searching backhand return, Raonic finally cracks and dumps a backhand volley into the net! The semi-final is level and you have to say that Murray deserves that! What a match this is turning out to be.
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Second set: Murray* 4-6, 6-5 Raonic (*denotes server): The first point looks lost for Murray after a Raonic drop shot, then when the Canadian spears a volley back into the open court, when Murray’s movement is brilliant and he wills his way to 15-0. This second set is turning into an immense battle. Even a Raonic forehand couldn’t cut the heightening tension. Murray holds to love and Raonic will have to be nerveless on serve again if he’s going to force a tie-break. Murray really won’t want this to go to a tie-break.
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Second set: Murray 4-6, 5-5 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic is beginning to sweat a little when two jittery points give Murray a 15-30 lead, the Scot suddenly two points away from winning the second set. Yet Raonic confounds Murray with another move to the net, meeting a forehand with a clean volley for 30-all, before he makes it 40-30 with an astonishing inside-out forehand winner. He hit three of those in a row and he eventually found an angle that was too good even for Murray. Raonic has reacted outstandingly when he’s been confronted by adversity and although the game goes to deuce, he holds thanks to more canny serve-volley tactics. Raonic wriggles away.
Second set: Murray* 4-6, 5-4 Raonic (*denotes server): Having survived those scares, Raonic’s confidence is up and he’s coming after Murray here, pushing him around the baseline and winning the first point for a 0-15 lead. More punishing forehands make it 15-30, but Murray makes it 30-all with a crisp, risky forehand. “Fire up!” he shouts. He holds to 30 with a swinging ace down the middle, negotiating a tricky game with aplomb in the end and heaping the pressure on Raonic, who will have to hold to keep the second set alive.
Second set: Murray 4-6, 4-4 Raonic* (*denotes server): Murray is furious with himself after netting a backhand return on a second serve. He’s trying to be aggressive. But is he going to regret not taking those break points in Raonic’s previous two service games? Raonic comfortably holds to 15.
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Second set: Murray* 4-6, 4-3 Raonic (*denotes server): Murray remains untroubled on serve, gobbling up the new balls and holding to love. No aces, but Raonic didn’t get a single return back into play.
Second set: Murray 4-6, 3-3 Raonic* (*denotes server): The game goes to 30-all and this time Raonic surprisingly messes up an easy volley at the net, skewing it wide to give Murray a break point. Murray couldn’t capitalise when he had one in the previous game and he can’t take the lead here, netting an attempted backhand pass. He’s going to have to be more ruthless. The game goes to deuce and Murray is unable to beat Raonic at the net again, missing the chance to earn a second break point, even though he almost had him with a lob. Raonic holds with a stunning, skidding backhand volley. This is tough for Murray.
Second set: Murray* 4-6, 3-2 Raonic (*denotes server): Murray makes a dodgy start to this game, a double-fault making it 0-15. He can’t let his focus slip or his frustration to get the better of him. Yet he responds smartly, winning the next three points, and he holds to 30 thanks to some hefty serving. “Desperate times call for desperate measures,” says Simon McMahon. “Andy’s going to lose, isn’t he? He’ll not even win a set. Better than losing to Djokovic in another final, I suppose. Oh Andy.”
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Second set: Murray 4-6, 2-2 Raonic* (*denotes server): Murray is irritated, which might not be good news for Raonic, who soon finds himself down 0-15. Yet Murray’s rhythm is disrupted by an incorrect call on a Raonic forehand. The point’s replayed and Murray flaps a weak backhand into the net, before Raonic’s sixth ace makes it 40-15. This goes down as a missed opportunity for Murray and you don’t get many against a player whose serve is this big.
Second set: Murray* 4-6, 2-1 Raonic (*denotes server): The first game of the match aside, Murray has actually served with extreme efficiency. He breezes into a 30-0 lead here and holds to 15, though not before a heated exchange with the umpire over Raonic challenging one of his serves. Murray reckons that the umpire shouldn’t have pointed out the mark to Raonic when he challenged the incorrect call for the ace that sealed the first set and Jake Garner soon realises this is one argument he’s not going to win.
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Second set: Murray 4-6, 1-1 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic wins the first two points, clipping the line with two aces, but Murray fights back to 30-all, dominating the rallies with some strong hitting from the baseline. “Come on!” he cries. Raonic goes for a body serve, but Murray is ready for this one and his awkward return forces Raonic to wonk a forehand wide, giving Murray a chance to break. Yet a Raonic serve jams Murray up and he saves the break point with an ace, before showing great agility to reach a lob and put away a backhand overhead. Raonic survives. Murray hangs his head in disappointment. He’s had his chances.
Second set: Murray* 4-6, 1-0 Raonic (*denotes server): If Murray thinks back a year, he’ll remember that he also lost the first set of his semi-final against Tomas Berdych. Yet I’m not sure if Berdych was playing as well as Raonic is now. Either way, Murray needs a better start to this set than he managed in the first set. He loses the first point with a poor volley, but he rattles through the next four to hold to 15. “Today’s tough start for Murray strengthens my assertion that if Juan Martin Del Potro (who Raonic strongly resembles in playing style being a big serving tall guy with a monster forehand) were around, Murray and Djokovic would have it a lot more difficult,” says Krishnan Patel. “Since you ask, Del Potro is currently ranked 1041st in the world...not quite the future world number one as predicted back in the day. Poor guy.”
Milos Raonic wins the first set 6-4!
Murray can’t get near a Raonic ace out wide on the first point. In fact, he doesn’t even try. He knows he’s not getting there. He moves on to the next point. Yet he ruins a promising position with a lame attempt at a drop shot. It hit the net and was going wide anyway. Raonic inches closer to the first set and though he stumbles a little at 30-0, double-faulting, he moves back to the trusty body serve that has been working so well, and that’s enough to earn two set points. He can’t take the first, a deep backhand return from Murray forcing the error, but then he cracks an ace down the middle. It’s called out, but Raonic isn’t convinced. He knows it was good. He challenges and sure enough, the ball clipped a hefty chunk of the line! The first set is Raonic’s and he’s two sets away from reaching his first grand slam final! As we suspected, that first game was crucial. Murray needs to regroup sharpish. He’s playing a very dangerous opponent.
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First set: Murray 4-5 Raonic* (*denotes server): With Murray serving to stay in the first set, he quickly establishes a 30-0 lead and he holds to 15. A sloppy game from Raonic, but he’s probably not too fussed about the prospect of having too serve for the set.
First set: Murray* 3-5 Raonic (*denotes server): Murray glares at the line after a Raonic serve flies by. He doesn’t bother challenging and gets on with winning the next point, though that had more to do with Raonic missing a fairly simple forehand down the line. Raonic makes it 30-15 with one of those serve bombs, before a scratchy forehand into the net makes it 30-all. Yet Murray can’t carve out a break point. He blocks a slice long – a late call convinces him to use up a futile fashion – and Raonic holds with a smash at the net.
First set: Murray 3-4 Raonic* (*denotes server): The first two points are shared. Raonic is pressing. The game goes to 30-all. Another break here would more or less seal the set for Raonic and he finds himself with a break point when Murray limply nets a forehand. Murray’s not really got going. Raonic is dictating too many points, yet’s he’s not allowed to boss this one, Murray walloping a swinging forehand winner away to force deuce. From there, Murray holds to stay alive. There’s still just the one break in it.
First set: Murray 2-4 Raonic* (*denotes server): Raonic is pounding the fuzz off the ball with his groundstrokes, more crunching hitting on the forehand side breaking through the Murray defences on the first point. Solid and varied serving makes it 40-0 and he holds to love.
First set: Murray* 2-3 Raonic (*denotes server): Murray’s second ace, sliced neatly down the middle, makes it 30-0. He moves into a 40-0 lead and he holds to love with a stunning piece of fetching, bursting on to a good Raonic drop volley and stabbing a backhand down the line. There are signs that Murray is hotting up, but he may regret that lukewarm start.
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First set: Murray 1-3 Raonic* (*denotes server): There’s a delay to the start of this game as a couple of stragglers struggle to find their seats. Imagine missing the start of a grand slam semi-final. Once the latecomers are seated, play resumes and Raonic wins the first two points, gobbling up a Murray lob for 15-0, putting away a volley for 30-0. He’s playing very well. There are no signs of any nerves from the Canadian, who glides into a 40-0 lead when he forces a scampering Murray to direct another lob wide. He can’t make it nine consecutive points on his serve, duffing another lob into the net, but he holds to 15 with a booming ace down the middle.
First set: Murray* 1-2 Raonic (*denotes server): Murray finally wins a point on his serve, a long forehand return from Raonic making it 15-0. An ace out wide makes it 40-15 and Murray completes a stress-free hold to 15. If only he could have done that in the first game of the match, because losing it may well mean that the outcome of this set has already been decided.
First set: Murray 0-2 Raonic* (*denotes server): Going a break down against Raonic isn’t the smartest idea Murray will ever have. Murray is already facing an uphill battle to win this first set, because the Raonic serve is such a potent weapon. Yet there must be something in the air. Raonic begins this game poorly, sending two forehands wide to give Murray a 0-30 lead. Another miss gives Murray three break points. This is odd. Maybe they really don’t want to play Novak Djokovic on Sunday. Yet Raonic saves the first with a body serve and the second with a damaging forehand, before another body serve saves the second, the game going to deuce. Murray chunters. Raonic’s placid demeanour stays intact, even though he’s just saved three break points, and another forehand earns him game point, which he takes with some serve-volley.
First set: Murray* 0-1 Raonic (*denotes server): With the roof half open, the second men’s semi-final gets underway. Andy Murray won the toss and chose to serve first, but it’s Raonic who wins the first point, pouncing on a short ball and swatting a dismissive forehand away for 0-15. He wins the next one as well. Murray tries a drop shot, but Raonic reads it and he wins the point with a sharp volley for 0-30. Murray is already under pressure and a double-fault hands Raonic three break points. He only needs one, another coruscating forehand doing the job. What a start!
Tok! Tok! Tok! They’re knocking up.
Here come the players. Milos Raonic is out first. He gets a great reception, but it’s not quite good as the one that greets Andy Murray. We’ll have tennis soon.
On Eurosport, Virginia Wade is wondering how Murray plans to lob Raonic, who’s 6ft 5in. He lobbed Ivo Karlovic five times in a single match last year.
And he also lobbed Raonic in Madrid.
It’s been raining in Melbourne today and the roof on Rod Laver Arena has been shut, but it seems that they’re going to open it in a minute. Will that favour either player?
These two last met in the Madrid Masters last year, when Andy Murray was unstoppable on clay and Milos Raonic was struggling with injuries. Murray won 6-4, 7-5 and he also beat Raonic 6-3, 7-5 when they met at the ATP World Tour Finals in 2014. Yet their head-to-head record is 3-all and Raonic has had two victories over Murray on hard courts before, in Tokyo 2012 and Indian Wells in 2014.
Hello. Given Novak Djokovic’s brutal dismissal of Roger Federer in the first semi-final yesterday, you could be forgiven for thinking that Andy Murray and Milos Raonic are playing for the right not to make it into Sunday’s Australian Open final. Quite frankly, you’d need to have something wrong with you to want to play Djokovic in this mood. Most of us struggle with the thought of getting out of bed on Monday morning, or making eye contact with colleagues, so it’s impossible to understand anyone who when presented with the option of a) letting a Serbian tennis machine push you around a court for three dispiriting hours and b) flying home on a private jet after already earning lots of money would go for the first option. Weirdos.
But elite athletes aren’t like the rest of us. While it’s not quite the case that nothing is more important than reaching the final, given Murray’s impending fatherhood and his father-in-law’s recent illness, there’s no chance of either player turning down the first option, no matter how unappealing it looks. Obviously they’d plan on adding a couple of tweaks to it, backing themselves to deny Djokovic a sixth Australian Open title.
They’ve got to get there first, though, and this is a hard one to call. It should be straightforward on paper, the world No2 against the 13th seed, but Raonic has started the year in superb form and his performances down under will boost his belief that the only reason he’s not in the top 10 is because of the injuries that ruined his 2015. Previously regarded as nothing more than a big server, Raonic has made some interesting adjustments in the off-season, volleying with more regularity, speeding points up, improving his backhand and displaying more variety. Add that to an already fearsome forehand and it’s not hard to see why he’s in the semi-finals. He’s unbeaten in 2016 and has already taken out the 2014 champion, Stan Wawrinka, and also beat Roger Federer in straight sets in Brisbane. The 25-year-old is a serious contender to win his first grand slam title.
Murray will have to be at his best as he attempts to reach the final for a fifth time. If he is, then it is probable that his wiles, stamina, class and ability to frustrate big servers will be enough. Not many players can neutralise the Raonic serve, but only Djokovic is a better returner than Murray. Yet there are other concerns for the Scot, who has admitted that it is not been easy for him to stay focused with so much happening in his personal life away from the court. He could still get the call that his wife Kim has gone into labour, which would see him quit the tournament and fly home early, while there was the added distraction of his father-in-law, Nigel Sears, collapsing while he was watching Ana Ivanovic’s match on Rod Laver Arena last Saturday. Thankfully he’s recovered, but it’s understandable that Murray has experienced a few dips on his way into the last four.
His serve was vulnerable against David Ferrer and Bernard Tomic. Yet he found a way through in both matches and for all the doubts, Murray’s still not gone close to losing. He won’t have good memories of losing to another big server, Kevin Anderson, when he was in full sweary mode during a fretful fourth-round defeat at the US Open last year, and his head-to-head with Raonic is locked at 3-all. But if he casts his mind further back, he’ll recall that he defeated Raonic in straight sets in the US Open in 2012. And who can tell me how that tournament turned out for Murray?
Play begins at: 8.30am GMT, 7.30pm in Melbourne.
