Andy Murray v Novak Djokovic as it happened

Murray lives to fight another game at least but Novak Djokovic looks like the familiar prospect of lifting the trophy is making him feel at home. A sublimely deft drop-shot and a rifled forehand winner chomps two points off Murray's serve. The Serb is gathering momentum to carry into this next, potentially decisive, service game.

Andy Murray barges his way into the last-chance saloon and starts swinging. Some savage hitting gives him 0-30, but Djokovic is not to be cowed. The Serb slides away a cute angled forehand for 30-30 and then strafes Murray with an unreturnable serve out wide. Murray coughs up another mistake and Djokovic can sniff the winners' enclosure.

Andy Murray is, understandably, working himself into a bit of a tizz. He sees 15-30 evaporate as he dumps a couple of regulation groundstrokes into the net. The shoulders are slumping and that hamstring is tightening all the time.

A glimmer for Andy Murray at 0-30 as both players' serves begins to wobble as the muscles start to shred and unravel. Novak Djokovic nibbles the next two points back but over-shoots to give Murray 30-40 and a break point. There is enough spice on the Djokovic serve to see that one away though and a couple more monster tee-offs close the game out.

More concerning than that lost opportunity may be the state of the Murray hamstring. He looks to have tweaked it in the last game as he stooped at the net and is hobbling between points.

Andy Murray, who chewed the umpires's ear at the changeover about the noise from the crowd, looks like he is still suffering from the hangover from losing the second set as he coughs up the first two points of the third. He chisels back one for 15-30 and survives by the skin of his teeth as Hawkeye shows he got the barest snick of whitewash at the back of the court with a prod of a forehand for. A delightful half-volley pick-up at the net is the highlight as the Scot makes his way through from deuce, but that was a struggle for him.

Andy Murray sweeps a forehand winner away cross court, after advancing to mid-court for 30-15. The Scot gets another gilt-edged invite to come in as Novak Djokovic sticks up a moon ball defence at 40-15. The Scot twizzles his racquet in his hand as he waits for the ball to drop. Djokovic spends that half second getting back into position though and wrestles the rally his way to seal the game.

Andy Murray ambles to 40-0 before Novak Djokovic jags a forehand winner at an unreturnable angle to steal a point against the head. A lazy forehand volley flies long from the Scot to lob some kindling on a flicker of hope for Djokovic, but a walloped serve down the middle dumps a bucket load of water on after it. All square once more. A third tie-break anyone?

Novak Djokovic appears to break into an impromptu Cossack dance mid-point as his footwear lets him down, running out of traction as Murray pulls level at 15-15. The Serb looks a lot more sure-footed in the following three points though as he wraps up another service game. Both players struggling to mount a serious challenge to the other's serve.

Andy Murray pounds through a service game to love, gifted the final point by a tired-looking drop-shot from Novak Djokovic. The Serb had mentally written off the game as a lost cause by the last rally.

Novak Djokovic stares accusingly at the court beneath his feet and at the back of his court as he works out whether his netted mid-court volley was a fault of his judgement, technique or venue. It doesn't require any more analysis as the defending champion holds to fifteen.

There is maybe a little stagger coming into the swagger of both players for the first time as the clock ticks round to two hours 25 minutes. Both faces wiped with a little more regularity. Murray comes under a little pressure at Djokovic comes in to slot away a volley for 40-30, but the Serb clumps long to allow Murray through.

Novak Djokovic's stroll over to the opposite side of the court is rudely interrupted as the line judge calls his first serve out at 15-15 after it has skidded past Murray without a flicker of graphite. A steely stare and a Hawkeye challenge follows and the Serb is proved right and the officials wrong. Another 24-carat rocket seals the game.

A little bud of hope for Andy Murray's fans as he advances to the net, behind the cover of some raking groundstrokes, to put away a volley for -15. Novak Djokovic sticks some manure on the idea that a tie-break might not be needed as he double faults for 30-30. Not to be though as the Serb digs himself out of a little bother. Murray to serve first in the shoot-out.

Murray looks pained as he teases a backhand wide at 40-15 up, gazing to the heavens, shoulders slumped. But where this situation might have blown up in his face in previous years, he milks Djokovic for a mistake in the next rally. It is the Serb remonstrating with himself as they head for the changeover. A tie-break at worst for Murray. And it all to play for as Djokovic serves to stay in it next.

Andy Murray fires a cross-court winner across Novak Djokovic's bows on the game's opening point to draw gasps from the crowd. Djokovic is clinging to him as tightly as a tick though. The Serb grinds down Murray, enjoying the rub of the tape with a net cord that falls his way, as he holds. The world number one's camp are on their feet after a final forehand down the line. There is a bit of belief pumping through those veins.

Just like in his previous service game, Andy Murray rattles through to 40-0. Yet again, he double-faults as he attempts an emphatic finish off his second serve. Yet again, Djokovic pushes long to cede the game. And still Murray remains the man most likely when you look for a candidate to break.

Elbows, wrists and hips all flow into a roundhouse forehand winner down the line as Andy Murray takes the game's opening point. The Scot fires up the same synapses and joints on the next. Something misfired though and the net claims his shot with Novak Djokovic looking a little out of position. The Serb's nervy forehand volley at the front drops just in on the next and he is home and hosed with a big serve that Murray can only fend into the net.

Andy Murray carves his way to 40-0, but his first double fault of the match follows as he attempts to finish with a flourish. He has built more than enough of a cushion though and Djokovic is unable to apply any pressure. The Serb plops a forehand long.

A sublime sliding forehand winner, reading Novak Djokovic's attempt cross-court, from Andy Murray takes him to 30-15. After getting caught by that counter punch, Djokovic keeps his guard up on the next two rallies. The Serb forces Murray back and slaps two big overheads into the floor and off into the cheap seats.

Novak Djokovic puts away a big serve to sniff safety at 40-15, but Murray steps in to bully a backhand return winner past the Serb for 40-30. Djokovic pushes long to take it to deuce and the world number one's pre-serve ball-bouncing is reaching Harlem Globetrotter levels. Whatever thought he dredges up during that ritual serves him well as he finds a way to hold serve. He is a man peering anxiously round the curtains waiting, hoping, for his semi-final magic to return though.

Andy Murray sets up his spirit level on the baseline at 30-15, but his measured backhand is a touch too long. There is a little pressure here, but Murray shrugs it off. More big teeing-off on that improved serve and the Scot holds like it ain't no thing. It is not just his serve that has got a little more titanium to it. The top two inches are looking increasingly bullet-proof as well.

Novak Djokovic doesn't do disintegration. But he is doing a decent impression of flaky as he slips to 0-40 with an over-blown forehand. Three break points and a chance for Andy Murray to take the match by the windpipe. Djokovic saves the first. Murray stakes the house on a forehand for the corner on the next, but is a whisker wide. Djokovic finally breathes fresh oxygen in the game as he surfaces from the depths with some gutsy serve volley. Djoko is more in the mood now as he wipes the line with a forehand and he drags Murray to the front of the court, cuts off the angles, and holds. And what a hold it is. The sort that might do the lambada on Murray's self-belief.

A mix of scurrying and big serving wraps up the second sets opening game to love for Andy Murray. Novak Djokovic looked like he had the world number three on the rack in the game's third point, but could not find the knockout punch. Supreme scrambling and Djokovic gets to know what his opponents feel like.

Novak Djokovic searches the stands to make eye contact with coach Marian Vadja after choking down on a forehand that ends in the mesh on the game's opening point. He gets a supportive nod in response and it seems to have done the trick as he whittles the next two points off Murray, the Scot overcooking a forehand for 15-30. Big point coming up with the Serb two away from the opener. He is a thick net cord away as his forehand pops up and plops down on his side of the court. That is all the encouragement Murray needs. Into a tie-break we go...

You might be advised to get a tie-break cup of tea on the go. Not even a mirage of a break as Novak Djokovic clubs away and Murray cannot get even a peek into the game.

Novak Djokovic is hammering away at his groundstrokes, but there is no way through Andy Murray's busy back-of-the-court defence. As he attempts to unload with ever more venom, a couple of errors crop up and the Serb comes up clutching nothing from a charge to the net on the game's final point. Murray digs one into the Serb's ribs and Djokovic can only block long.

Novak Djokovic wraps his serve up in cotton wool and bubble wrap and it is safely past Andy Murray for the loss of just the one point. Forty-five minutes on the clock as Murray takes on his first banana. It looks a good 'un as well. He serves to stay in the opener next.

Another break point earned and not converted, but Novak Djokovic is not at his baseline best. A needlessly netted backhand from a bit of prime back-of-the-court real estate allows Murray to draw level from 0-15. Murray fires long though on the next point and then slightly pushes on a backhand at 30-40. No call from the line judge but Djokovic's hand pops up to challenge and he is rewarded with a break point. Murray again outmuscles him to see off the danger though. The match is delicately poised, if Djokovic presses the pedal Murray looks vulnerable.

Big pressure, but an even bigger hold from Andy Murray. A bit of sparkle off the Novak Djokovic racquet and a Murray error give the Serb 0-30 and perfect platform for a prod at the Scot's serve. Djokovic is a whisker away from 0-40 with a whistling forehand just wide, but Murray seizes up off the backhand wing, pumping long to give Djokovic two break points. Murray goes macho from the baseline to save them both, slugging away from the back of the court. Novak Djokovic is in mood to play punchbag though. Perfect depth is matched by jarring width as he runs the legs out of Murray to earn a third break point. Murray punches back with a forehand down the line. Wide the Scot goes and Djokovic has a fourth break point. Back and forth they batter and it is Djokovic who cracks first, the net snaring his backhand. Two big serves, the second an exocet ace, and Murray leaves Djokovic looking back on missed opportunities.

Under little pressure, Novak Djokovic trails a backhand into the net to allow Murray to 30-30. He looks a little hangdog as he trudges back to the service line. A corking forehand winner on the next rally looks like it will perk him up, but the Serb's usual laser guidance is a little off-kilter as he plants an easy forehand long to allow Murray to deuce. Big chance for Murray to move to break point as the Serb wanders to the net a little aimlessly behind a running volley. The Scot can't pick his man off though, dumping into the net. Novak Djokovic wraps a forehand round Murray after a marathon point to seal the game. Murray has had the upper hand in these opening skirmishes. All counts for nothing without a break to show for it though.

Novak Djokovic is still fumbling around, looking for his touch on groundstrokes for my money. The Serb dabs a backhand drop-shot into the net, before cuffing long off the forehand wing. Five unforced errors so far from the number one seed. Andy Murray rips his first ace of the match down the middle for a second successive hold to love.

That Murray serve, now a sharpshooter where it used to be more blunderbuss, is a whisker away from an arcing ace at 15-0. There is plenty of pep behind the second though. Novak Djokovic has lost the first couple of baseline arm-wrestles, firing long twice before mixing it up by going wide. The Serb is ushered out of the game to love and Murray is on the board.

A solid opening service game from Djokovic. Andy Murray takes the first point with a crunching forehand down the line before Novak Djokovic replies with an ace that clonks the line judge right on the bonce. No feeling their way into this one. The first strained shouts from the crowd as they back their respective men at 40-15. Andy Murray can only block a return long over the baseline.

* denotes next to serve