Nadal downs Murray as Britain's agony continues

Defending champion Rafael Nadal reached his fifth Wimbledon final on Friday with a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 win over an outclassed Andy Murray, leaving British hopes of a first champion since 1936 in tatters.

Top seed Nadal, the winner also in 2008, will take on Novak Djokovic in Sunday's final, the match given an extra edge by the Serb guaranteed to depose the Spaniard from the world number one spot.

Second seeded Australian Open champion Djokovic, beaten only once in his last 50 matches, reached his first Wimbledon final with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-2, 6-7 (9/11), 6-3 win over French 12th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

For Murray, it was a third successive semi-final loss at the All England Club.

But it came after he had enjoyed a storming start, forcing 10-time Grand Slam title winner Nadal onto the back foot before his challenge quickly imploded.

Murray gave his fans a scare after just three games when he called for the trainer after suffering an early twinge in the right hip strain he suffered in his fourth round win over Feliciano Lopez.

But he was untroubled throughout the rest of the set where he easily looked the more assured of the two rivals despite carrying a 4-11 win-loss record against the great Spaniard into the semi-final.

Serve dominated with Murray firing a 135mph ace to help him to a 6-5 lead before taking the opener in the 12th game.

But then Murray's challenge unravelled. The top seed carved out a first break point in the fifth game of the second set when Murray served up a double fault which he converted into a 3-2 lead when the Scot unleashed a wild smash.

Nadal broke again to lead 5-2 and the match was level at a set apiece when a lazy Murray backhand sailed wide with Nadal having reeled off five games in succession.

That soon became seven on the trot as Nadal claimed another break and a hold to lead 2-1 in the third set.

Murray's defences were breached once more in the seventh game as Nadal went 5-2 ahead and the set was the Spaniard's when the British fourth seed netted a forehand.

Nadal was a break to the good to lead 2-0 in the fourth set and saved two break points in the fourth game for 3-1.
Murray saved a match point at 3-5 with his 13th ace, and another in the next but Nadal wrapped up the tie with another killer forehand. - AFP

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