By DPA,
Melbourne : Andy Murray struggled for nearly four hours before overcoming Spain’s tenacious seventh seed David Ferrer 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-1, 7-6(2) Friday to reach a second straight final at the Australian Open.
The fifth-seeded Scot who has lost two previous Grand Slam title bids against Roger Federer 2008 in New York and last year in Melbourne, is counting on his experience to help him against longtime friend and rival Novak Djokovic.
The Serb booked into the Sunday night trophy match as he beat Federer on Thursday in their semi-final.
Murray had to battle momentum shifts and the usual ferocious defense from seventh seed Ferrer, who had duplicated his best showing at a major by reaching the last four.
“He’s an unbelievable athlete and competitor,” said Murray, “He works so hard. I was expecting an unbelievably tough match and I got it.
“It’s great that I got through, he’s so tough to play.”
Murray ended his winning marathon with 60 winners and 63 unforced errors, breaking on six of 11 chances. He levelled overall at 3-3 with Ferrer after beating the Spaniard last November in London.
Murray and Djokovic, both 23, have been playing each other for a decade, with the world number three Serb winning Melbourne in 2008.
Ferrer came out on fire in the opening set as the crowded settled in for what would appear to be a long night. But the Spaniard looked to be making short work of the Scot as he found success in his aggressive game before dropping serve for 4-5.
That hardly dented the Ferrer confidence as the determined seventh seed immediately broke back to square it at four games apiece. The Spaniard then saved a break point for 5-4 and got Murray into trouble a game later.
Frustrated fifth seed Murray netted a backhand for a set point and put a backhand wide to lose the opener in three quarters of an hour with 16 unforced errors.
The troubles continued in the second set, with Murray breaking three times only to lose the advantage as Ferrer refused to roll over.
But Murray also saved a set point trailing 5-4 and Ferrer finally slumped in the tiebreaker.
Both men soldiered on in the third set, with Djokovic likely tucked up in his hotel watching his potential rivals grind each other down on television.
Murray took control in the third set with breaks in the fourth and sixth games. But closing it out was a struggle during a 10-minute game in which Murray saved five break points over the course of six deuces, finally taking it 6-1 on his third set point.
It was more of the same in the fourth for the Scot as Murray sensed the finish line. He went up a break in the opening game but eventually had to close out the match with another tiebreaker.
“He’s like a brick wall,” said the Murray of Ferrer.
The Scot heads into the final with more confidence to hand than in his previously two.
“When I played Federer in 2008, I didn’t know what was going on, that one went so quick.
“It was better last year and I hope this one is better also. Novak’s had a great tournament, we’ve had similar experience. We’re good friends and we practise together a lot.
“There are no secrets in our games, it will be a brutal match.”
Earlier, top-seeded Gisela Dulko of Argentina and Flavia Pennetta of Italy won their first women’s doubles title at the majors when they fought from a set and 4-1 down for a 2-6, 7-5, 6-1 victory over the 12th seeded pair Victoria Azarenka of Belarus and Maria Kirilenko of Russia.