Andy Murray survives past Marin Cilic into the semi-finals – US Open 2012
Third seeded British player, Andy Murray, made his way back after getting a set and 5-1 down to overcome the 12th seed, Marin Cilic of Croatia, 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-0 in the quarter-finals of the US Open on Wednesday.
Murray displayed superb fighting qualities, as he never surrendered even when he was at brink of losing the second set. It would have been a herculean task for him to win from two sets to love deficit but the Brit did not allow
it to happen.
The British number one qualified for the last-four stage for the second successive year. He was beaten by Nadal in last year’s semi-finals. Murray is looking to advance to the title match at the Flushing Meadows for the second
time in his career, as he lost to Roger Federer in straight sets in the 2008 final.
Talking about the proceedings of the match, Murray made a horrible start, as he lost the opening three games to go down 0-3. The British star pulled the break back in the seventh but threw away the following two and lost it 3-6.
Cilic was on fire, as he won five of the first six games of the second set to build a 5-1 lead. However, Murray completely turned around the contest after that point, winning five of the following six to take the proceedings to
6-6 and force a tie-breaker. The Brit earned a late mini-break and capitalised on it to win 7-6(4).
Murray and Cilic went neck to neck in the opening four games of the third set to equalise the score at 2-2. It was an all Murray show later on, as he captured four on the trot to seal it 6-2.
The British player continued on his winning spree in the fourth set and humiliated Cilic by grabbing six games in a row and closing it 6-0.
Talking to the reporters after the match, Murray said, “I didn’t start too well. He started off well. He was playing close to the baseline. I have always found that court tricky to play on. I have had a lot of tough matches on
it. It took me a while to get used to it. I think when the conditions slowed down a bit and started to get a bit darker, that helped me.”
Commenting on Cilic’c failure in closing the second set, the Brit added, “He got nervous towards the end of that set once I got one of the breaks back, which helped me. And then from 5-all in the second set I played a great match
after that.”
Murray will face the sixth seed, Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic, in the semi-finals.
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