NEW YORK (AP) -Andy Murray finished a stunning, rain-interrupted victory over Rafael Nadal 6-2, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-4 at the U.S. Open on Sunday to reach his first Grand Slam final.
Top-ranked Nadal's 19-match winning streak at Grand Slams also came to an end in the semifinals.
Trying to become the first British man to win a Grand Slam since Fred Perry at the 1936 U.S. Open, Murray will face four-time defending champion Roger Federer in the final on Monday.
"He's got loads of experience in these situations," Murray said, "and it's something new to me."
The sixth-seeded Murray won the first two sets against Nadal and was down a break at 3-2 in the third when play was suspended on Saturday because of Tropical Storm Hanna.
"Tough to sleep," Murray said.
As should surprise no one, the generally indefatigable Nadal made a stand on Sunday, taking the third set and going ahead 3-1 in the fourth. But Murray took five of the last six games, breaking Nadal twice and ending the Spaniard's bid to make his first final at the U.S. Open.
Murray never before made it past the quarterfinals at a major and never had defeated Nadal in five previous tries. Nadal, meanwhile, won 54 of his preceding 56 matches and took the titles at the French Open, Wimbledon and Beijing Olympics.
But Murray, the 2004 U.S. Open junior champion, was up to the task this time. He wound up with more than twice as many winners as Nadal, 65-32.
Murray won a 22-stroke point with a volley winner to get to match point, leaving Nadal bending over behind the baseline, chest heaving. Then Murray completed the service break to end the match, easily chasing down Nadal's drop shot and smacking a winner.
"I just had to keep my head down and watch the ball - and that was that," Murray said. "I didn't feel particularly nervous."
Murray immediately turned to his private box, closed his eyes and leaned backward. With the crowd cheering, he threw his two wristbands and white baseball cap into the stands.
During an on-court interview afterward, Murray described himself as "very relieved" to have won and to have reached the title match at his "favorite tournament" - which might draw some winces in the land of Wimbledon.
