Andy Murray became the first Briton in 33 years to make semi-finals in Melbourne

'I am sorry for Nadal'

Andy Murray became the first Briton in 33 years to make semi-finals in Melbourne

Disappointed: Rafael Nadal of Spain is consoled by Andy Murray of Britain (L) after the latter retired due to injury in their men's singles quarter-final match on day nine of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 26, 2010. Murray won the match 6-3, 7-6, 3-0 when Nadal retired due to injury. AFP PHOTO

The fifth seeded Scot became the first Briton since John Lloyd in 1977 to make the semi-finals in Melbourne after Nadal retired with right knee pain when trailing 6-3, 7-6 (7/2), 3-0. Murray had looked the goods during the match, pumping down 13 aces and moving around the court effortlessly as he set up a showdown with surprise package Marin Cilic.

The big-serving Croatian made his first Grand Slam semi by outlasting seventh seed Andy Roddick in an epic five-setter, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, as the American once again failed to live up to expectations.

Murray, who carries an enormous burden in attempting to break Britain's Grand Slam drought in men's tennis stretching back to Fred Perry's 1936 US Open triumph, said he felt sorry for Spain's Nadal, the second seed.

"He's my favourite player to watch just because of what he brings to the court with his energy and I'm gutted for him," he said.

"I came through a few tough moments at the start of the match trying to do a little bit too much and I had to keep going with my shots and play the right tactics to win it."

Haunted Nadal
Nadal said the knee starting hurting at the end of the second set and feared it was the same tendinitis that hindered him last year.

"It was in the end of the second set. It felt similar to what I had last year," Nadal said. "After that I couldn't get down properly, so it was impossible to win the match. I said sorry to Andy for that."

Cilic power
Fourteenth seeded Cilic once again proved his staying power, but he admitted it was tough going. "It wasn't easy. In the last set I was just trying to hold my serve, and he was putting a lot of pressure on," said Cilic, the first Croat to reach the last four in Melbourne.

"I won the first game easily and that helped, and then when I broke him it got a bit easier. I can go one more five-setter, why not?" he said. It was marathon man Cilic's third five-set match of the tournament.

Fedex plays on
Roger Federer plays Nikolay Davydenko and Novak Djokovic faces Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the other quarter-finals today. Henin powered into the last four by using her vast experience to down determined Russian 19th seed Nadia Petrova 7-6 (7/3), 7-5. The 27-year-old Belgian decided to return to tennis after seeing fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters win the US Open last year, and she has more than justified the faith of organisers who handed her a wildcard.

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