Novak Djokovic relieved as the storm stalls Andy Murray

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  • Murray had all the momentum towards the end.

    The suspense was palpable at Roland Garros as rain started to pour moments after Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic were ushered off court – their semi-final suspended due to a storm and looming darkness, just as the former was launching an impressive yet late comeback in the match.

    Stan Wawrinka will have to wait until later Saturday afternoon to find out who will be the man standing across the net from him in Sunday’s final after the second semi-final was halted with Djokovic leading 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 3-3 Friday evening.

    Wawrinka, seeded No8 in Paris, had booked himself a spot in his second career grand slam final with a 6-3, 6-7 (1), 7-6 (3), 6-4 victory over 14th-seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in a showdown that saw the pair save a combined 28 break points, with each of them stubbornly hanging on to most of their service games.

    “Today it was tough battle. Jo is always a tough player to play, especially when he’s playing at home here in Paris. The match could have gone his way also when he had so many chances to take advantage in the third set. Really happy and proud the way I stayed mentally,” said Wawrinka, who is through to his first final at Roland Garros.

    Following Wawrinka and Tsonga’s three hour 46 minute battle, Djokovic and Murray took to the courts, facing off for a 27th time and eighth at a major.

    The world No1, trying to make a third French Open final, entered the match having beaten Murray in their last seven straight meetings and looked on his way towards yet another win against before the Scot found a spring in his step and slowed down the 2015 tsunami that is Novak Djokovic. 

    Djokovic needed a seven-minute opening game to hold serve, Murray needed six to hold for 1-1 before the pair picked up the pace. 

    Murray screamed as he inexplicably missed a drive volley to go down 0-40 in game eight and a good Djokovic return followed by a wide backhand from Murray gave the Serb a 5-3 lead. It was all the top seed needed to seal the opening set.

    Djokovic broke to inch ahead 3-2 in the second set. Murray saved two break points to hold for 3-4, but the No3 seed was down again, giving Djokovic two set points and Murray unforgivably missed an overhead smash – normally a characteristic of his opponent – to hand over the second set. 

    Murray confidently served to stay in the match at 4-5 in the third and he got fired up the next game, earning his first two break points of the match, breaking on the first one with a successful net charge and rallying the crowd behind him as he took a 6-5 lead. A long forehand from Djokovic got Murray back in the match as he clinched the set to force a fourth.

    Djokovic took a seven-minute toilet break and returned to boos and whistles from the crowd. The Serb went up 0-40 on Murray’s serve but the Scot heroically saved all three break points to hold then broke to love the next game for a 2-1 advantage off a run of nine straight points won. Murray was broken the next game though and play was suspended two games later at 3-all as the supervisor informed the players a storm was coming. 

    The match will resume today at 13:00 prior to the women’s final.

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