Andy Murray v Rafael Nadal - as it happened | Australian Open

By Chris Chase

Match of the Day: (14) Marin Cilic d. (6) Andy Roddick, 7-6 (4), 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3 -- Let's put to rest all the talk that big men don't have the endurance for five setters. Even though Andy Roddick was ailing with a shoulder injury, he had stolen momentum away in this match, storming back to force a fifth set after dropping the first two at Rod Laver Arena. When the American had three break points on Cilic's serve to start the final set it looked as if Roddick's run in Melbourne would continue and Cilic's breakout Slam would have to come in Paris or London. Because, surely, Roddick would be fresher than the 6-foot-6 Cilic, shoulder injury or not. But much like Juan Martin Del Potro in the 2009 U.S. Open final (and himself in two previous matches at this tournament), the Croatian was able to outlast a smaller rival in a marathon match.

Roddick played an almost-brilliant match in defeat, breaking Cilic's serve six times and playing a powerful, accurate baseline game that moved the tall Croat around the court. Not to take anything away from Cilic, but a healthy Roddick wins that match. An injured Roddick should have won it too. 

Disappointment of the Day: (5) Andy Murray d. (2) Rafael Nadal, 6-3, 7-6 (2), 3-0 Ret. -- Though the quality of tennis was extremely high -- big hitting, offensive play -- through the first two sets (which included a 10 minute delay for Australia Day fireworks), this match ended with a disappointing whimper. Andy Murray became the first Briton to make the semis at the Aussie Open since 1977 but his win was overshadowed by a flare-up of Rafa's knee injury which derailed him following his win in Melbourne last year.

According to Rafa, the injury didn't occur until the beginning of the third set, so Murray's win shouldn't be tainted. He outplayed a healthy Nadal in a thrilling first two sets before the injury. But then Nadal felt a tweak at 0-1 in the third, took a medical timeout, got broken and then retired after the next game. It's the first time he's done so in a Grand Slam.

Afterward Nadal told reporters that he didn't want to push it to the limit and that this injury was different than last year's because it came upon suddenly. He added that he thinks he'll be OK. I wish I was as confident.

Murray, meanwhile, has yet to drop a set in the tournament.

Other matches: Justine Henin d. (19) Nadia Petrova, 7-6 (3), 7-5 -- Barring a major upset at the hands ofJie Zheng on Thursday, it looks like Henin is going to match Kim Clijsters' feat of making a final in the first Slam of a comeback. If she plays Serena Williams (we're doing a lot of assuming but these are pretty safe ones to make) she'd be an underdog but, then again, so was Clijsters when she played Serena in the U.S. Open semifinals.

Jie Zheng d. Maria Kirilenko, 6-1, 6-3 -- I'm not going to say it sounded like the ESPN announcers were rooting for Maria Kirilenko in this match because that statement makes it seem like I'm unsure. They were totally rooting for Maria Kirilenko. I think I heard Cliff Drysdale's tears hit the microphone when the comely Russian was shaking hands with Jie Zheng. With their girl struggling in the match, the announcers made a big deal about how much time she had been on the court so far during the tournament -- 13 hours, 59 minutes between singles, doubles and mixed doubles. What they failed to mention is that Zheng had actually been on the court longer during singles matches. (Kirilenko only played nine games against Dinara Safina, don't forget.)