Rafael Nadal is stretched to the limit in Monte Carlo

With his 22nd birthday almost a month away, 2009 continues to promise so much for Andy Murray. An initial Grand Slam victory at either Wimbledon or the US Open is a distinct possibility. A ranking as the highest British male tennis player in history is just around the corner. But for now, a clay court win over world No 1 Rafael Nadal must remain a fantasy.

Or should it? The Scot showed distinct signs that Nadal’s dominance on the crushed red brick, which has seemed so irrefutable for five years, could soon be under threat. The record books will show Nadal won through to today’s Rolex Monte Carlo Masters final for the fifth time in succession. They will list the 6-2 7-6 win as his 24th consecutive semi-final victory on clay and take his unbeaten run in the Principality to 26 matches. Yet what the numbers won’t reveal is that the tennis was of such a high standard that for half an hour or more it was arguably even more stunning that last summer’s Wimbledon final.

In a sport that is intrinsically a head-to-head contest, total invincibility should not be possible although Nadal’s clay court statistics over the last four years suggest otherwise. Many is the competitor who walks onto a clay court to face Nadal in the belief that massive fortune needs to be on his side.

For a set and a half, Murray subscribed to that point of view. There were glimpses of the talent, poise and power that had secured him more victories than any other player on the ATP World Tour this year but for the most part he appeared content to put up a good show while all the time being resigned to defeat. Then that Celtic fervour kicked in. He upped his aggression and resolve to such an extent that Nadal frequently had to shake his head in disbelief.

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This was a contest where Nadal wanted to underline his clay court superiority over the opponent that appears his biggest challenger. A drubbing would have heightened Murray’s inferiority complex before the summit meeting at the French Open in a month’s time. Instead it is the Spaniard who has much to ponder, knowing that the threat from the Scot will only intensify.

From 5-2 down to the moment Murray finally had to accept defeat, Murray demonstrated that when his pride is in danger of being hurt, he is just as dangerous on clay as he is on hard court or grass. Initially this semi-final, Murray’s sixth in the last seven Masters 1000 Series events, was effectively another step in his tennis education but by the end it was further proof of the Scot’s stunning ability.

As Nadal steps out today against Novak Djokovic as the overwhelming favourite to take his collection of Masters 1000 Series shields to 14, so levelling Roger Federer’s total and moving just three behind the all-time leader Andre Agassi, Murray will be en route to Barcelona for a week’s intensive clay court practice with twice French Open finalist Alex Corretja. After yesterday’s climax, the pair will have much on which to reflect.

A go-for-broke attitude, that not only involved attacking the net whenever possible but also bombarding Nadal with brutish ground strokes from a yard or more within the baseline, is a tactic that could quite bring dividend. Of course many others have taken that point of view against Nadal and walked off regretting their optimism, with Federer the prime example. However, Murray’s thumping weight of shot, superb touch and durability gives him a great chance.

Of course Murray does not yet slide properly on the surface but in this respect Corretja is the perfect tutor. And there are times when his body is far too contorted to properly execute shots. Yet the past few years have shown that now his teenage angst has passed, Murray is an exceptional learner. His Davis Cup predecessor Greg Rusedski once famously observed that playing on clay was sheer purgatory; as in most things Murray will now almost certainly disagree.

The quality demonstrated by Nadal and Murray was totally in contrast to the catalogue of errors that Djokovic’s progression through to his second consecutive Masters 1000 Series final with a 4-6 6-1 6-3 win over Federer’s fellow Swiss assailant of an earlier round, Stanislaus Wawrinka.

Had Djokovic lost then Murray would have dislodged him from the world No 3 ranking but as it is the Serb will today try to claw back some ground on a head-to-head record that currently stands 11-4 in Nadal’s favour and the Spaniard still buoyant from a straight sets victory in the Davis Cup little more than a month ago.

Djokovic’s inconsistency throughout the two hours and 27 minutes it took to overcome the Swiss was hardly becoming of a competitor ranked so highly and a player so gifted in natural talent. By his own admission his focus was negligible at the beginning of the match which must be a concern when so much was at stake. Plus it was still clear that he is still struggling to truly control the velocity of the Head racket he chose to replace his trusted Wilson at the beginning of the year. And he is still bereft of confidence when he approaches the net. “I was just waiting for him to make mistakes and that is not really my game,” he admitted. link...