Tennis: History beckoning for Murray

History is beckoning again for Andy Murray. Seventy-four years after Fred Perry became the last Briton to win the men's singles title here, the 23-year-old Scot yesterday moved within two victories of putting his name into the record books.

Murray next has to face Rafael Nadal, the world No 1, but the two players will go into their semi-final tomorrow knowing that Roger Federer, the six-times winner, will not be awaiting them after the defending champion's run of seven successive appearances in the final was ended by Tomas Berdych.

Murray reached the semi-finals for the second year in succession with a superb 6-7, 7-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory on Centre Court over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, which followed Federer's 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 defeat to Berdych. The Czech will meet Novak Djokovic in the other semi-final after Djokovic beat Yen-hsun Lu 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.

Nadal, who is on a 12-match winning streak at the All England Club, having been unable to defend his 2008 title last year because of injury, beat Robin Soderling 3-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-1, despite losing the first five games. The Spaniard has won seven of his 10 meetings with Murray, but the Scot has won their last two matches in Grand Slam tournaments, at the 2008 US Open and at the Australian Open earlier this year. They have met once before at Wimbledon, Nadal having won in straight sets in the quarter-finals two years ago.

Murray's form should give him every reason for confidence. Although Tsonga became the first player to take a set off the world No 4 here this year, the world No 10 was eventually brushed aside by a superb Murray performance. Tsonga played an attacking game throughout, but Murray defended brilliantly and broke the Frenchman's spirit after winning the second set tie-break.

"It was a really tough first couple of sets," Murray said afterwards. "We both had our chances in the first set but neither of us could take them until the tie-break. He was going for big shots on both sides and I had to do a lot of defending."

Of the second set tie-break, Murray said: "I came up with one or two good passes. He was hitting big serves and going for huge shots but I managed to hang in there."

Murray, who has gone one round better with every appearance here, will attempt tomorrow to end a nine-match losing streak by British men in the Wimbledon semi-finals. Since Bunny Austin reached the 1938 final, in which he lost to Donald Budge, Mike Sangster (1961), Roger Taylor (1967, 1970 and 1973), Tim Henman (1998, 1999, 2001 and 2002) and Murray himself (2009) have all fallen at the penultimate hurdle.

Nadal said Murray would be a difficult opponent but thinks he is playing well enough to win. "It's a dream to be in the semi-finals here again," Nadal said. "I know I'm going to have a difficult match against Andy in the semi-final, but I am ready to try my best and be in this final."

It is a remarkable turnaround in Murray's fortunes, given his run since this year's Australian Open, where he lost to Federer in his second Grand Slam final, the Swiss having also beaten him in New York two years ago. Tomorrow will be the first semi-final Murray has played since then in any tournament, but he has insisted recently that he felt his best form was not far around the corner. Murray said Federer's defeat was "obviously surprising" but added: "There are so many great players around so it's tough."

Between 2002 and the start of last month Federer had lost only once in 77 grass-court matches, but a defeat by Lleyton Hewitt in Germany last month hinted that all was not well with the Swiss, who said yesterday that he had been suffering from leg and back injuries.

Since losing to Mario Ancic in the first round eight years ago, he has played in the final a record seven times in succession, reinforcing his reputation as the best player in history. During that run his only defeat was against Nadal in the 2008 final.

Nadal appeared in danger of following Federer out of the tournament when he lost the first five games to Soderling, who is the only player ever to have beaten the Spaniard at the French Open. Nadal lost the first set, but thereafter the Spaniard took command.

Soderling, in his first Wimbledon quarter-final, took charge early on before Nadal found his feet. From 5-0 down the world No 1 took the next three games before Soderling served out for the first set.

Nadal looked in need of inspiration and found it, bizarrely, when a Hawk-Eye decision went Soderling's way, giving the world No 6 a break point. Angered but clearly motivated, Nadal held serve and then broke Soderling. The Swede called for the trainer when trailing 5-4 in the third set and had treatment on a blister on his left foot.

Soderling broke back and took a 6-5 lead, but Nadal won the eventual tie-break. In the fourth set Nadal broke to lead 3-1 and never looked in trouble thereafter. He squandered his first match point but made no mistake with his second, hitting a big forehand winner down the line.

"I started so-so but Soderling was playing very long and powerful," the second seed said afterwards. "I had some problems at the start of the second set with the break point, I played it well and after that I think the match changed a lot."

Nadal is now the favourite to take the title - even if he did not say so himself. "In my opinion there is no one favourite for the tournament," he said. "Roger did amazing the seven years, he was unbelievable. One day you have to lose and Berdych is a very difficult opponent. I just wish the best for Roger for the rest of the season."

- INDEPENDENT