Impressive Murray makes semis as Nadal retires

Andy Murray may never get a better opportunity to make the final of a Grand Slam tournament after he overcame Rafa Nadal, who succumbed to a knee injury, in the quarter finals of the Australain Open.

The Scot is now one game away from his second major final and with only the inexperienced 14th seed Marin Cilic barring his way. The flip-side is that if he does make it through he is likely to face Roger Federer.

Murray's quarter final win over Nadal arrived in unsatisfactory circumstances when the Spaniard was forced to  retire early in the third set after yet another knee injury.

However, Murray was winning handsomely at the time. He was two sets to love up and leading 3-0 in the third set when Nadal threw in the towel.

Critics may speculate that Murray only found himself in that position because Nadal was carrying the injury. But the level of tennis produced by the players in the first two sets suggested that both were operating at full capacity - and Murray deserved his lead.

The opening set lasted almost an hour and contained some of the best tennis of the tournament so far. Nadal broke Murray in the third game of the first set only for the Scot to break back immediately, and both players were taken to deuce in other service games.

Murray made the crucial breakthrough when he won Nadal's serve a second time and then served for the set at 5-3, but he was forced to save four break points before finally winning through.

If anything the second set was even pacier and featured some epic baseline rallies, with Murray frequently getting the better of Nadal.

The Spaniard appeared to have the set at his mercy when, after a five-minute break for an Australia Day fireworks display, Nadal broke Murray's serve. But for the second time in the match Murray responded by winning the next game and had Nadal in trouble as the game approached a tie-break. Murray easily won the tie-break to take a 2-0 lead, and it soon became apparent that Nadal was now struggling. He needed treatment on his knee after the first game of the third set and when Murray took his serve and then made it 3-0 Nadal called time.

Murray appeared as shocked as anyone and commiserated with his opponent when the end came. Afterwards he said: "[Nadal] is my favourite player to watch with his energy and I am a bit gutted for him."

There must now be serious concerns for Nadal's future. He was forced to miss much of last season with an injury to the same knee, and appeared to indicate it was a recurrance of an old problem while he was receiving treatment at courtside. ·