• French Open, Day 13

Nadal powers past Murray to reach final

Rafael Nadal had the answers despite the threat of Andy Murray © Getty Images

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Rafael Nadal was at his belligerent best on his 25th birthday as he powered into his sixth French Open final with a 6-4 7-5 6-4 win over Andy Murray.

Murray came into the contest nursing an ankle injury and having had to venture to the dentist after chipping a tooth, but he showed no signs of wear and tear as he slugged it out with Nadal for over three hours. The British No. 1 did not look out of place on his least-favoured surface, he simply met an opponent with a will to win that sets him apart from his peers.

It took Nadal until his quarter-final clash with Robin Soderling to look at ease with the different balls that are being used at Roland Garros for the first time. He also moved with more freedom against Soderling, allowing him to hit the ball more crisply, and he carried the momentum into his clash with Murray as he withstood some big blows from his opponent before powering through in three tough sets.

Murray made a solid start, showing his determination to upset Nadal's rhythm by playing an exquisite drop shot and following up with a drive volley. Murray's defence is among the best in the game and he made Nadal work for his opening service game, but the British No. 1 threw in some sloppy play to surrender his serve in the third game. A wild backhand gifted Nadal an opening and a glorious backhand from the Spaniard forced a mid-court ball from Murray and the break was secured when the champion scampered up the court to put away a forehand.

Murray attempted to hit back in the fourth game and he worked three break points. On each occasion Nadal found an answer, the third time he somehow won the point despite looking dead on three occasions before finding a glorious crosscourt backhand.

Confidence was flowing through Nadal and some superb length on both wings was too much for Murray who surrendered his serve for a second time.

Nadal threatened to run through the opening set at a canter after holding with ease to lead 5-1, but Murray stopped the rot in the seventh game and some rare sloppy play from Nadal handed one of the breaks back.

Murray gave everything in his first Roland Garros semi-final © Getty Images

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A Murray hold piled pressure on Nadal to serve out and Murray worked break points with some fluent hitting. Staring down the barrel of a gun, Nadal elected to serve and volley and came up with the perfect point, catching the line with a swinging serve before executing a sublime drop volley and it helped him close out an opening set that lasted 62 minutes.

Murray needed to make a statement at the start of the second set and he did just that, forcing Nadal to save two break points in the second game and powering through the third game to love - the first love game of the match.

But just as he looked poised to attack, a double fault, followed by an awful drop shot and wild forehand handed Nadal three break points. The five-time Roland Garros winner is not one to pass up gifts and he worked Murray along the baseline before putting away a forehand to secure the break.

The Scot hit back immediately, with the two players trading breaks and although the serving quality was not great, the rest of the play was. In the 10th game, with Murray leading 5-4, the contest resembled an exhibition with the pair attempting to out-drop shot and out-angle each other.

Nadal kept his cool to hold and showed his class to break for 6-5, although he had to work for it as Murray came up with one of the shots of a match - a drop volley at full stretch to reach a rasping crosscourt from Nadal.

The Spaniard was not likely to be broken for the third time in the set and he found a love service hold to move two sets to the good.

Nadal rammed home his advantage at the start of the third set, with a glorious forehand arrowing towards the line to secure a break.

Murray worked break points in the fourth, sixth and eighth games, but Nadal fended off the threat on each occasion and the champion closed out the match with a love hold to spark celebrations that are rarely seen other than in tournament wins.

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