Weather holds up Murray

Sep 6 2008

Andy Murray's electrifying start to his first grand slam semi-final was halted by rain in New York on Saturday with the British number one leading US Open top seed Rafael Nadal two sets to love.

Murray had lost all five of his previous meetings with Nadal, and had not won a set against the Spaniard since their first encounter at the 2007 Australian Open, most recently losing in the Wimbledon quarter-finals and in Toronto.

Yet the sixth seed stole a march on the new world number one by taking the first two sets 6-2 7-6 (7-5) at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre.

Murray, a three-time ATP Tour winner this year, won his first service game to love and earned his first break in the next game. He was in confident mood and he claimed a second break to take a 5-2 lead and serve for the set, which he claimed with a winning volley.

Nadal upped his game in the second set, holding off three break points in the third game. But Murray continued his attack of the left-hander's serve, forcing the Spaniard to save two more break points in the fifth game. The Scot won his next service game to love with an ace down the middle to level the set at 5-5 on serve.

The set went into a tie-break, with Murray twice failing to capitalise on mini-breaks, the second time seeing him serve his first double fault of the match to let Nadal level at 3-3.

Murray had some luck when Nadal saw a return of his second serve bounce off the top of the net and fall the wrong side and he gained set point at 6-5 with Nadal serving and sending a backhand wide.

With Nadal 3-2 up in the third and about to begin serving for a 4-2 lead, chair umpire Steve Ullrich climbed down from his perch as light rain began to fall and checked the hardcourt surface for slippiness, sending the players back to their seats after two hours and one minute of play.

Play was later suspended for the day, with all players sent home within 40 minutes of Nadal and Murray's match being suspended at 2.48pm local time (7.48pm UK time).

The decision meant the women's final between Serena Williams and Jelena Jankovic will now be played on Sunday, with every possibility that the men's final may be rescheduled for Monday.