Skip to main content

Murray to face Djokovic after five-set defeat of Federer

January 25, 2013 -- Updated 2355 GMT (0755 HKT)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates winning the men's singles final match against Andy Murray of Great Britain at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Sunday, January 27. Djokovic won 6-7 (2), 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-2. Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates winning the men's singles final match against Andy Murray of Great Britain at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Sunday, January 27. Djokovic won 6-7 (2), 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-2.
HIDE CAPTION
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Photos: Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Photos: Australian Open
Photos: Australian Open
Photos: Australian Open
Photos: Australian Open
Photos: Australian Open
Photos: Australian Open
Photos: Australian Open
Photos: Australian Open
Photos: Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
PAustralian Open
Photos: Australian Open
Photos: Australian Open
Photos: Australian Open
Photos: Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Photos: Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Photos: Australian Open
Australian Open
Photos: Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Photos: Australian Open
Photos: Australian Open
Photos: Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
Australian Open
<<
<
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
>
>>
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Andy Murray will play Novak Djokovic in Sunday's Australian Open final
  • Third seed Murray beat Roger Federer in five sets to reach his third Melbourne final
  • It was Murray's first victory over Federer at one of the sport's four grand slams
  • Djokovic beat Murray in the 2011 final of the season's first grand slam

(CNN) -- Third seed Andy Murray will play world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the final of the Australian Open after overcoming Roger Federer in a tense five-set semifinal in Melbourne Friday.

Sunday will see a repeat of the 2011 final, with Murray looking to avenge his defeat to Djokovic after beating 17-time grand slam winner Federer 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-7 (2-7) 6-2.

Murray will be looking to finally capture the Melbourne title having twice been runner-up at the year's first grand slam.

The 25-year-old Briton is also looking for his second straight grand slam title after beating Serbian ace Djokovic in the final of the U.S. Open last September, the first time he had claimed one of the four major titles in tennis.

Should he repeat that victory over Djokovic in the Australia final, Murray would become the first player to follow up his maiden grand slam title with another at the first opportunity.

Djokovic: 'My dreams came true'
Djokovic finishes season on top
Tennis stars take on the quick fire quiz

World No. 2 Federer was hoping to become the first man in the post-1968 Open era to win the Australian Open on five occasions, but came up short in a high quality match lasting exactly four hours.

It was the first time Murray had beaten Federer at a grand slam, but his victory over the Swiss maestro in the gold medal match at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London has acted as a springboard for his later successes.

Murray never trailed throughout the match on the Rod Laver Arena, but was twice pegged back as Federer won the second and fourth sets on tiebreaks.

Murray served for the match in the fourth set at 6-5, but was denied victory by some brilliant attacking tennis by the second seed as he broke back.

Read: Visualizing greatness: How Novak Djokovic rose to the top

Federer carried that momentum into the subsequent tiebreak to force a decider, but Murray showed his mettle by taking control again.

An early break saw him forge 5-2 ahead and when Federer served to stay in the match, he was unable to offer more than token resistance, hitting long as Murray sealed an epic and deserved victory.

"I've been known for losing a lot of tough matches and big matches, especially here a few times, and having never beaten Roger in a big match until the Olympics," he said in his court side interview.

"That obviously helps but it doesn't make it any easier when you're trying to serve it out."

The 31-year Federer insisted he would bounce back after his third straight semifinal loss in Melbourne and dismissed notions that he would struggle to compete with younger rivals such as Djokovic and Murray.

"I go from here with a good feeling for the year. I didn't play a tournament leading in, so now obviously I know where my level is at," he told gathered reporters.

"I also know that I have even more time to work on my game, work on my fitness this year. It's something I'm excited about."

Saturday will see the women's final between World No.1 Victoria Azarenka and former French Open champion Li Na.

The championship will close when Murray and Djokovic lock horns 24 hours later, with spectators hoping for a repeat of their epic semifinal clash last year where the latter prevailed in a five set thriller before beating Rafael Nadal in a marathon final.

Nadal, the other member of the 'big four', is currently sidelined by a long-term injury but intends to make his comeback next month.

ADVERTISEMENT
Part of complete coverage on
June 7, 2013 -- Updated 2101 GMT (0501 HKT)
For some of the biggest names in tennis, the French Open's red clay courts mean only heartbreak and shattered dreams.
June 6, 2013 -- Updated 1105 GMT (1905 HKT)
She drank alcohol on court, smoked "furiously" and horrified the establishment with her daring outfits and "unladylike" playing style.
May 28, 2013 -- Updated 1445 GMT (2245 HKT)
CNN's Open Court talks to the past five French Open women's champions ahead of the start of the tennis season's second grand slam tournament.
June 3, 2013 -- Updated 1337 GMT (2137 HKT)
CNN's Christina MacFarlane shows us how the French Open maintains its special surface.
June 2, 2013 -- Updated 1343 GMT (2143 HKT)
CNN's Christina MacFarlane shows us what it takes to be an umpire at Roland Garros.
May 27, 2013 -- Updated 1410 GMT (2210 HKT)
CNN visits the Paris jewelry store that crafts the replica trophies taken home by winners French Open winners.
May 21, 2013 -- Updated 0939 GMT (1739 HKT)
Swiss tennis player Roger Federer returns a ball to French Gilles Simon during their ATP Tennis Open match in Rome on May 16, 2013 in Rome. Federer won 6-1, 6-2.
Nicknamed the "kissing disease," mononucleosis or glandular fever is a viral illness that is affecting tennis stars.
May 1, 2013 -- Updated 1129 GMT (1929 HKT)
She towers above him, but she can't do without him. Meet the man who has made Maria Sharapova the world's wealthiest female athlete.
April 22, 2013 -- Updated 1511 GMT (2311 HKT)
When Maria Sharapova underwent shoulder surgery five years ago, many thought her tennis career wouldn't last.
April 18, 2013 -- Updated 1258 GMT (2058 HKT)
Nine-year-old Rebecca Suarez stunned onlookers when she was pulled out of the crowd to team up with Del Potro against Nadal.
April 18, 2013 -- Updated 2115 GMT (0515 HKT)
Janko Tipsarevic is of the belief that his fellow professionals aren't doping -- or at least not on a widespread basis.
March 21, 2013 -- Updated 1429 GMT (2229 HKT)
Agnieszka and Urszula Radwanska are hoping to take their relationship to a new level by emulating tennis' most famous sisters.
March 21, 2013 -- Updated 1402 GMT (2202 HKT)
America's 18-time grand slam champion Chris Evert talks to Open Court about her career and training the next generation of players.
March 21, 2013 -- Updated 1344 GMT (2144 HKT)
CNN's Don Riddell speaks with 11-time grand slam champion Rafael Nadal during one of his comeback tournaments in Mexico.
March 21, 2013 -- Updated 1411 GMT (2211 HKT)
Germany's veteran star Tommy Haas opens up to Pat Cash about being away from family on tour, and his many injuries.
March 11, 2013 -- Updated 1150 GMT (1950 HKT)
End of match
You'd think John Isner and Nicolas Mahut would be sick of the sight of each other, but their friendship has grown since that epic match.
March 4, 2013 -- Updated 1608 GMT (0008 HKT)
Almost a decade after Andy Roddick's sole U.S. Open victory, America is still waiting for its next male grand slam winner. What's gone wrong?
ADVERTISEMENT