• Australian Open, Day Nine

Murray through as Nadal retires injured

Andy Murray produced some stunning tennis to take the opening set © Getty Images

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Day Nine in pictures

Andy Murray booked his place in the semi-finals of the Australian Open, as defending champion Rafael Nadal was forced to retire when two sets down. The Spaniard has been plagued by knee problems and he pulled up sharply at the start of the third set. He received lengthy treatment in his chair, but it was to no avail as Nadal offered his hand with the score at 6-3 7-6(2) 3-0.

It is not the way Murray will have wanted to progress to his first Australian Open semi-final, but it will not detract from his performance. The Scot was simply awesome as he more than matched Nadal from the back of the court and was good value for his commanding lead.

He sprang out of the blocks in the first set to take the opening game and breaks of serve were traded as both players produced some quality play. Nadal was the first to break in game three, taking it with a stunning point in which he worked Murray around the court before driving a backhand winner.

Murray, cheered on by Ricky Hatton on the Rod Laver Arena, broke back immediately thanks to a glorious top-spin lob which landed right on the baseline and backed that up with another break of serve. The Scot mixed things up on serve, hitting powerfully down the middle as well as kicking the ball out wide.

He saved three break points when serving for the set and closed it out 6-3 in 52 minutes.

Rafael Nadal was no match for Andy Murray, althought he was troubled by injury © Getty Images

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Murray went two sets to the good after taking the second in a tie-break. As in the first set, Nadal was the first to break in game six but Murray hit back immediately. The high-class play continued, with both players trading blows from the back of the court, and Nadal did superbly to save four break points in the 11th game of the set.

With the pair refusing to give an inch, the tie-break was an inevitability and it went Murray's way. The 22-year-old executed the perfect breaker, taking the first point against serve and backing it up with rock-solid play behind his own serve.

Muray held serve at the start of the third set, at which point Nadal received lengthy treatment on his knee. Nadal had a torrid time in 2009 and could be seen shaking his head and wincing during his medical break.

He attempted to play on, but was broken immediately and with his movement severely restricted Nadal offered his hand to Murray.

Murray will now face Marin Cilic for a place in the final.

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