With his fiancé, Kim Sears, offering what a proficient lip-reader might interpret as unequivocally Anglo-Saxon encouragement, Andy Murray won a semi-final of swearing, tantrums and some excellent tennis, beating Tomas Berdych in four sets with his best performance of the fortnight to reach his fourth Australian Open final, and his eight in majors.
Murray had hoped for two things to happen: a forecast stiff breeze to materialise on cue to disrupt Berdych’s high ball-toss, and for the Czech to crack under pressure – like he did in the 2010 US Open semi-final. The first never happened, the second did and, after three hours 25 minutes, Murray celebrated a thoroughly convincing 6-7 (6), 6-0, 6-3, 7-5 victory.
On this form, he has an excellent chance of winning his first title here.
After breaking back in the first set, Murray fist-pumped towards his box, where Sears stole the show with some strong language directed towards the other end of the court, where sat Berdych's team, including Murray's former assistant coach, Dani Vallverdu. An eagle-eyed spectator caught Sears on camera and it was soon doing the rounds on Twitter.
If Murray had not then blown a couple of gift-wrapped chances just after that, he would have had an earlier and easier night. But perversity always was his trademark and sheer bloodymindedness got him back on top.
The crowd, generally, were with the Scot but one person who might have watched with mixed emotions was Vallverdu, whose five-year employment ended only last November. Speculation that the Venezuelan’s inside knowledge would undo Murray’s tennis proved wrong-headed, as Murray, one of the game’s best strategists, out-thought the Czech in most phases of the game.
Also celebrating vocally in Murray’s box were his mother, Judy, who can’t stay for the final as she has to return to the UK to prepare for the Fed Cup.
Berdych, serving superbly as the wind stubbornly refused to swirl in Murray’s cause, was out-hitting Murray off the ground at the start, getting inside the court on nearly every point, serving or receiving.
Kenny Rogers, who'd held up play arriving late, took a bow on the big screen as they played The Gambler in the changeover after the seventh game.
It was Murray who need to know when to hold ‘em, and, broken to 15 in the eighth game, he fought back to prevent Berdych serving out with a typically pugnacious effort, forcing a netted backhand from him at the end of a long rally. That was when Kim chipped in with her vocal support.
There were further contretemps before they started the second set, Murray complaining to the umpire about something Berdych said on the changeover, and it simmered like a lawsuit from that point on.
Murray held to love, a Berdych forehand long handed him the break and the momentum shifted dramatically.
Berdych lost his composure at the very moment Murray found his focus and only 24 minutes after taking the first set, the Czech was serving to avoid the bagel. He gave it up on a plate with a forehand long from deep.
The third was fairly even until the sixth game when Berdych served consecutive double faults from 40-love, hit three sloppy ground strokes and could only watch as Murray’s clinching forehand down the line put him 4-2 up and going away.
Berdych’s response was to take a bite out of one of the balls and hit it out of the stadium. He was starting to crack.
Berdych’s serve had become predictable – to the body then backhand – but Murray mixed it up brilliantly and held to love for 5-2. He wrapped up the set 6-3.
Berdych, breathing heavily and with eyes blazing, was not going to give it away, though, and battle was re-engaged.
In the fourth set, Murray saved break point with a stunning crosscourt winner in the sixth game, held and then ground his way to the finish in typical Murray fashion, closing it out to love with his 14th ace, an away-swinging thunderbolt down the T.
(Guardian service)
