Relentless Rafa crushes Murray, Djokovic next

by Martyn HERMAN

TENNIS: LONDON, July 2 (Reuters): After seeing his world number one ranking slip away Rafa Nadal refused to loosen his iron-fisted grip on the Wimbledon title by crushing Andy Murray on Friday to set up a final against the man who has knocked him off his perch.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic beat flamboyant Frenchman

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to reach his first Wimbledon final and guarantee top spot in next week's rankings and it briefly looked as though Nadal's day would get even worse when he was outclassed in the first set by home favourite Murray.

The defending champion's response was unsurprising, but staggering nonetheless, as he unleashed a furious onslaught to suck the life out of the fourth seed and roar to a magnificent 5-7 6-2 6-2 6-4 semi-final victory on Centre Court. Murray, who lost to Nadal at the same stage last year and Andy Roddick the year before, will surely lie awake replaying the easy forehand he fired agonisingly long when up 2-1 and 15-30 on Nadal's serve in the second set.

The let-off left the door slightly ajar for Nadal and the 25-year-old force of nature needed no further encouragement, hurtling through it like a rampaging Mallorcan bull to take the next seven games.