Can Andy Murray give life back to British tennis in the same city where it literally passed away?
The inspired Scot moved to within one match of ending a 74-year span of British misery in men’s tennis, defeating Croatia’s Marin Cilic 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-1 to reach the final of the Australian Open in Melbourne. Murray will look to become the first British man to win a major singles title since Fred Perry won the last of his eight major titles at the 1936 U.S. Championships.
Ironically, it was in Melbourne where the great life of Perry ended in 1995 as the three-time Wimbledon champion died of heart failure after covering the Australian Open for BBC Radio at the age of 85.
Murray is looking to be the first Brit to win in Australia since Perry won his second major there in 1934. He is the first Brit to reach the Australian final since John Lloyd lost to a cramping Vitas Gerulaitis in five sets in the 1977 Australian final.
It will mark Murray’s second appearance in a major final, losing to Roger Federer 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 in the 2008 US Open final. He will play the winner of Friday’s second semifinal between Federer and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Sunday’s final.
The 2010 Australian Open marks the first major tournament that Murray, ironically, is playing not wearing Fred Perry signature clothing. This year marks Murray’s debut wearing adidas clothing.