Nadal crushes Murray's hopes of a Wimbledon final

Murray took the first set, but Nadal soon took over to seal his entry into his fifth final on Centre Court. Nadal will now meet Djokovic to battle for the Wimbledon crown.

DEFENDING CHAMPION RAFAEL Nadal has reached the Wimbledon final for the fifth time with a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 win over Andy Murray on Friday.

After Murray won a close first set, with the biggest roar coming as when Nadal sent a backhand into the net to give Murray the set.

The match turned dramatically in Nadal’s favor early in the second set. The fourth-seeded Briton was leading 2-1 and over-hit an easy forehand that would have given him two break points.

Instead, Nadal won the next seven games before easing to victory and a place in Sunday’s final against second-seeded Novak Djokovic.

Murray appeared to be slowed by a hip problem as he tried to become the first British man since 1938 to reach the final.

Nadal, who himself has a left foot injury, is unbeaten in 20 matches at Wimbledon since losing to Roger Federer in the 2007 final.

Murray was playing in the Wimbledon semifinals for the third time, and he lost for the third time. Since Bunny Austin in 1938, British men have lost 11 semifinal matches at the All England Club, including four by Tim Henman in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

- AP