Updated 21.41
ANDY MURRAY SET up a titanic Wimbledon final showdown with Novak Djokovic as the world number two beat Polish 24th seed Jerzy Janowicz 6-7 (2/7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in a bad-tempered last four clash on Friday.
Murray remains on course to end Britain’s 77-year wait for a male winner of the Wimbledon singles’ crown, but the Scot had to do it the hard way once again.
Just 48 hours after battling back from two sets down to defeat Fernando Verdasco, Murray survived an early pummelling from Janowicz and then a controversial decision to shut the Centre Court roof due to bad light when he had just taken a two sets to one lead.
Murray was furious with Janowicz, who had been pleading for the roof to be shut, and referee Andrew Jarrett, claiming there was still time to finish the match in daylight.
But he returned to finish the job, sealing his second successive appearance in the All England Club final thanks to 20 aces and 18 winners in two hours and 52 minutes of nerve-wracking action.
“There was still 45 minutes of light left,” Murray said of the roof controversy.
“This is an outdoor event and I believe you should play as much as possible outdoors.
“I had 20 minutes, took a shower and got back to work. He was on his phone to someone. That’s the way he is, he plays loose on the court as well.
“I’m delighted. He’s very talented and unpredictable, he’s got a huge serve and he didn’t give me much rhythm.
“But after I got back from 1-4 down in the third set I felt the momentum was with me.”
An unrepentant Janowicz added: “I don’t care if he was angry or not. What I can do? I care about myself.
“Andy was complaining that it was really dark as well“But I don’t feel like losing against the runner up, so I wish him good luck.”
Murray, who missed the recent French Open due to injury, has now reached the final in each of his last four Grand Slam appearances.
However, that will mean little to the 26-year-old unless he avenges last year’s tearful final defeat against Roger Federer and emulates Fred Perry’s 1936 Wimbledon triumph.
Murray’s seventh Grand Slam final on Sunday will be his fourth meeting with world number one Djokovic with a major title on the line.
Djokovic defeated Murray in the 2011 and 2013 Australian Open finals, while the Scot won a five-set thriller to seal his maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open last year.
Murray was appearing in his fifth consecutive Wimbledon semi-final and had won his previous 16 matches on grass, while Janowicz was making his Grand Slam last four debut.
But the 6ft 8in Janowicz, who was ranked outside the top 200 last year, came out all guns blazing.
Firing down one 139mph rocket in his opening service game, Janowicz’s booming deliveries regularly topped the 130mph mark.
Murray failed to convert two set points at 5-4 and Janowicz took advantage of that escape in the tie-break, racing into a 4-0 lead and sealing the first set thanks to a Murray double fault.Murray needed an immediate response and he got it with a break in the opening game of the second set.
Even then Janowicz ensured nothing came easily for Murray before he finally levelled the match at one set all.
With darkness closing in Janowicz broke for a 3-1 lead in the third set. But a fortunate net-cord gave Murray a break at 4-2.
Murray was in the groove and Janowicz, swiping angrily at the net in frustration, had no answer as he dropped serve again to give the resurgent Scot five games in a row and a two sets to one lead.
After a 30-minute delay to close the roof, Murray emerged to take his frustrations out on Janowicz when a searing return on break point gave him a 2-1 lead.
The spotlight had proved too bright for Janowicz and Murray broke again to seal the win.
Earlier, Djokovic defeated heroic Juan Martin del Potro 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-7 (6/8), 6-3 on Friday in the longest Wimbledon semi-final in history to move into his 11th Grand Slam title match.
In a titanic struggle played out over four hours and 43 minutes, world number one Djokovic squandered two match points in the fourth set tiebreak before going on to seal a final place.
The top-seeded Serb, the champion in 2011, leads Murray 11-7 in career meetings but has yet to face Janowicz, the first Polish man to make the semi-finals of a major.
Djokovic, bidding for a seventh Grand Slam crown, fired 22 aces and 80 winners in his breathtaking win over the luckless Del Potro, the 2009 US Open champion, who had been hoping to become just the second Argentine to make the Wimbledon final.
“It was one of the best matches I’ve been part of, certainly one of the most exciting. It was so close and nothing could separate us,” said Djokovic.
“But that’s why he is a Grand Slam champion, every time he was in a tough situation he comes up with unbelievable shots.
“I’m very proud to go through. When I lost the fourth set of course it was disappointing because I was close to winning and didn’t capitalise. He came up with some big forehands. It was a very high level of tennis.
“I was ready to go five sets. I was able to stay tough and get through in the end.”
Del Potro, who had defeated the Serb for the Olympic bronze medal at Wimbledon last year, had matched Djokovic blow for blow in the first set but had to bat back a break point in the sixth game to stay on level terms.
At 6-5, Djokovic stepped it up, a backhand from off his toes landing in the corner before a backhand off-balance from the Argentine sailed long.
The Serb, playing in his fourth successive Wimbledon semi-final, sensed blood and a wide forehand from the suddenly besieged Del Potro gave the world number one the opener.
Djokovic was rewarded for his positive approach. His 14 winners comfortably trumped the meagre four that the eighth seed, still with his left knee heavily-strapped, could manage.Del Potro called for the doctor after slipping down 3-2 in the second set, but the consultation didn’t remedy his problems against the top seed as he immediately had to fend off four break points.
However, buoyed by his defiance, Del Potro broke for a 4-3 edge, the second point of the game clinched by chasing down a Djokovic drop shot which he dinked over cross-court.
Del Potro just about backed it up for 5-3 before he went on to level the tie on a sun-baked Centre Court, a picture-perfect drop shot followed by an unreturned serve.
It was the first set that the Serb had dropped in the tournament.
Djokovic fought off a break point in the fifth game of the third set and two more in the seventh before the Argentine had to save three set points in the 12th, the last courtesy of a 90mph winner.
But Djokovic cruised through the tiebreak with Del Potro’s confidence and challenge shattered in an instant when the 6ft 6in (1.98m) giant netted an easy smash on the sixth point.Del Potro was beginning to wilt in the 26-degree heat and Djokovic took advantage, breaking for 4-3 as another fierce return landed on the Argentine’s toes.
However, Del Potro wasn’t finished and brought the crowd to their feet by breaking back for 4-4 and saving two match points in the breaker, the first at the end of a punishing 24-stroke exchange.
In the decider, Djokovic fought off a break point in the fifth game before Del Potro saved one in the sixth.
The Argentine cracked to trail 3-5, Djokovic saved another break point as he served for the match in the ninth game before he claimed his epic win with a huge forehand.
First published at 8.00
