• US Open, Day Ten

Murray battles back to see off Cilic

Andy Murray climbs into a backhand © PA Photos

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Andy Murray's US Open dream remains alive, but he had to drag himself off the floor to see off Marin Cilic and book his place in the semi-finals.

Having been so impressive against Milos Raonic in the previous round, he was awful for the best part of two sets. He somehow won, or rather Cilic lost, the second set from 5-1 behind and that sparked a revival that saw him power to a 3-6 7-6 6-2 6-0 win.

Murray made an abject start, throwing away his opening service game to love and it was not until the fourth game that he got on the board.

The match was moved from Arthur Ashe Stadium to Louis Armstrong Stadium due to the rain delays. Armstrong is a quicker court than Ashe and it appeared as if Murray took some time to adjust. He did break through in the seventh game, having come through a tough hold in the sixth game, but he inexplicably gifted the break back and promptly slammed his racket down in frustration.

Cilic served out to take the set and Murray found himself in a huge hole as he dropped his serve at the start of the second and was swiftly broken again with his Croatian opponent gifted a 5-1 lead.

Murray looked devoid of ideas at 5-1 down but he was handed a route back into the contest and Cilic began to tighten. At 5-4 and serving for a two-set lead, Cilic faced pressure for the first time in the match. A wild forehand, double fault and slice backhand into the net suggested he was feeling it. He found three first serves to stave off the break points, but Murray got another look and broke through thanks to a second double fault of the game from Cilic.

The tiebreak seesawed and Murray pulled himself back from a minibreak down to take the set, although it was again errors from Cilic that aided the British No. 1.

Murray had the look of a man ready to step up a level and he did that mid-way through the third by taking back-to-back breaks of serve. He closed out the set and promptly broke Cilic at the start of the fourth, which ended the little resistance the Croatian had left in him, and he breezed through the remainder of the match to book his place inn the semi-finals.

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