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Murray’s unfinished business with Cilic

MELBOURNE - Andy Murray on Thursday has US Open conqueror Marin Cilic barring his way to the Australian Open final as British tennis fans dare to dream for an end to a 74-year Grand Slam drought.

The 22-year-old Scot is the player of the moment after he halted Rafael Nadal’s title defence in Tuesday’s enthralling quarter-final, ended prematurely by the second seed’s injury withdrawal early in the third set.

The fifth seed carries the baggage of being the great hope of breaking through for his maiden Grand Slam triumph in Melbourne and finally ending one of the leanest spells in British sport.

Murray, who already is the first Briton to reach the semi-finals of the Australian Open in 33 years, is bidding to become the nation’s first Grand Slam men’s winner since Fred Perry in 1936.

That prospect edged closer to reality with his marvellously composed performance against Nadal and he has yet to drop a set in his five matches to reach Thursday’s semi-final.

Murray has the momentum and is the fresher having been on court for eight hours less than Cilic during the tournament.

But the 14th seeded Croat, who eliminated four-time semi-finalist Andy Roddick to reach the last four, holds the pyschological advantage of a win over Murray at last year’s US Open.

Cilic goes in against Murray on the back of three five-setters and over 18 hours on court, but looms as a threat to upset the odds and be the first one into Sunday’s final.

“I know what the circumstances were. Obviously, I didn’t have my best day,” Murray recalled of his straight sets loss in New York.

“I played him quite a few times on the tour and had good results against him, except there.”

Murray complained of a sore wrist at the time, but now looks in his best shape to answer the Cilic challenge.

“I’ll try and keep playing like I have been. If I do, I’m going to give myself opportunities to win Grand Slams,” he said.

“Obviously I feel fresh. I don’t know how he feels, but from my side I feel good physically. That’s not going to be an issue for me in the match.”

Tennis observers have been impressed with the transformation of Murray’s game at the year’s opening Grand Slam.

His serving has improved and even surprised Nadal with a bit of serve and volley, while the counter-punching negativity has been replaced by a more attack-minded approach.

But Cilic will be a big test. There has been little in their four matches, Murray leading 3-1, but each set has generally been hard earned.

The 21-year-old giant, coached by Australian Bob Brett, who once guided Boris Becker and Goran Ivanisevic, is thriving on the hardcourt surface here and has sent down 81 aces.

He showed great resilience to claw back against reigning US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro in the fourth round and win in the fifth set.

“It’s not easy when you get to these stages of the tournament where you haven’t been too many times before,” Cilic said.

“For Murray it’s going to again take a lot of energy out of me. So we’ll see how I’m going to be able to survive.”

Nadal has no doubts as to who will win this year’s Open.

“I think Andy deserves to win his first Grand Slam, and he’s going to do it,” he said.

The second semi-final is played on Friday.