• US Open

Confident Murray fired up for US Open final

ESPN staff
September 9, 2012
Andy Murray discusses 'brutal' conditions

Andy Murray says he will head into his fifth grand slam decider more confident than ever after beating Tomas Berdych in the US Open semi-finals.

Murray became the first man in history to win Olympic gold and qualify for the US Open final in the same year with a 5-7 6-2 6-1 7-6(7) victory over his Czech opponent. Seeking a maiden grand slam title, Murray believes his triumph at the London 2012 Games will provide a boost come the final at Flushing Meadows.

"I did feel a lot better after that," Murray said. "Maybe had less doubts about myself and my place in the game just now.

"My results in the slams over the last couple of years have been very good and obviously this year in the major tournaments, along with the Olympics, it's been my best year.

"I have never made two grand slam finals in a year, so that's obviously a good sign that I'm playing better and still learning. You saw obviously at Wimbledon how much that meant to me. It's obviously not easy to lose another slam final, so I hope this one is a different story."

In order to reach the final - where he will face the winner of Sunday's semi-final between Novak Djokovic and David Ferrer - Murray had to contend with an in-form Berdych and blustery conditions. Indeed, winds reached 100kph which tested Murray's all-court game.

"It was brutal," Murray said. "Hard to describe. You had to focus for every single point. You had to get in position for every shot. You weren't going for aces because it was hard enough to get the second serves in.

"Some of the hardest conditions I have ever played in, and I come from Scotland so that's saying something."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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