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Murray marches into Australian Open final

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Andy Murray of Britain reaches the final of the Australian Open in Melbourne
  • Murray beats 14th seed Marin Cilic in four sets on the Rod Laver Arena
  • The fifth seed will play either Roger Federer or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Sunday's final
RELATED TOPICS
  • Tennis
  • Australian Open

(CNN) -- Britain's Andy Murray came from a set down to see off the bold challenge of Croatian outsider Marin Cilic to reach the final of the Australian Open with a 3-6 6-4 6-4 6-2 victory in Melbourne on Thursday night.

Fifth seed Murray will now play either world number one Roger Federer or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France in Sunday's final. They meet on Friday.

Cilic had shocked U.S. Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro and Andy Roddick on his way to his first grand slam semifinal and continued his momentum into the clash with Murray as he took the opening set with a single break.

But Scot Murray clawed his way back to take the second and third sets and upped his play in the fourth, breaking the 21-year-old Croatian twice before claiming victory on his first match point.

It will be his second grand slam final, having lost to Roger Federer in the final on the 2008 U.S. Open.

Murray, who had not dropped a set in reaching the last four, started as a strong favorite for the night match on Rod Laver Arena, but was second best to the 14th seed in the opening set.

But the turning point came early in the second as both players swapped breaks before Murray claimed the Croatian's service again in the seventh game and never looked back.

I'm really look forward to the final now, I'm feeling good
--Andy Murray

It was sweet revenge for the 22-year-old, who was beaten by Cilic in a shock fourth round reverse at last year's U.S. Open.

"I started going for my shots a little bit more, he was playing right close to the baseline," Murray said in his post-match interview.

"I'm really look forward to the final now, I'm feeling good."

Murray is the first Briton to reach the Australian Open final since John Lloyd in 1977 and hoping to end his nation's grand slam drought which has lasted since the great Fred Perry won Wimbledon in 1936.

For Cilic, his passage to the semifinal proved an heroic effort, having been on court for over 18 hours in his previous five matches, including victories over U.S. Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro and Andy Roddick.

He was not able to extend his effort in the three-hour battle with Murray but leaves the championship with his reputation greatly enhanced.

"Today I wouldn't say that I was a 100 percent, but I gave my best, and that's the most important thing," he told gathered reporters after his defeat.