If it gets any better than the semifinal between Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, call the doctor! This was a beauty even surpassing Rafa Nadal’s victory over Fernando Verdasco’s five set semifinal thriller 4 years ago. There are some that Verdasco and Nadal never fully recovered from that historic match.

Novak Djokovic defeated Andy Murray in an epic match in the semifinals of the Australian Open 2012

Anyone who has followed the Scotsman and the Serb realizes that this is the rivalry of the future. Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic are going to be around for quite a while. Along with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, whose star is fading a bit, there is uncommon disparity between the big four and the rest of the ATP players.

Djokovic and Murray will certainly face each other again, but a new standard has been set and it will not be easy to replicate the 2012 Australian Open semifinal pairing.

For over four and three quarter hours the top ranked Djoko and the 4th seeded Murray locked horns in a match that feature surreal shot-making and courageous play from start to finish. The momentum swings were vast.

After splitting the first two sets, Murray rose to the top in the third set and outlasted Djokovic in a tiebreaker. Just when he should have had all the emotion and momentum, Novak reversed the trend and scurried to an easy fourth set win.

The final tally reads 6-3, 3-6, 6-7 (4), 6-1, 7-5. There are interesting statistics about this match, but they will not tell the correct story. My belief is that neither of these players could have survived this match 2 years ago. There skill levels were sill maturing and their temperaments were nothing like the two players that entered the fray on Day 12.

There were times to be discouraged. There were times that either player could have retreated. There were times to be inspired and there were memorable rallies that went 30 or more stunning ground-strokes. There was an impassioned audience in the filled Rod Laver Arena that seemed to spur the players onward. There was all the emotion and the tension that should be in a Grand Slam semifinal.

There was no doubt that either of these heroes could have won this match. Three of the sets lasted more than one hour. The third set lasted 88 minutes.

Andy Murray down and out again

In the final set, Djokovic backed up two breaks to accumulate a 5-2 lead. The Murray camp looked discouraged. Based on the Scotsman’s play in the fourth set, the die seemed cast and it seemed the match’s best tennis had already been played.

Murray caught the wind. He toughed out a break to close within 5-3. He followed with a tense service game but managed to hold. And then, the unthinkable happened. The Scotsman was on the prowl. His powerful returns wore on Djokovic and the Scotsman now had all the energy.

He broke Djokovic for the second straight time to close to 4-5. He held to 5-5. With Djokovic serving at 5-5, Murray had two break opportunities. He was unable to convert. On one break point, Novak hit a piercing backhand that struck the back right tape. He eked out the game and turned the ball over to his opponent.

The top seed jumped to a quick lead and this time, Murray’s tank was empty. While this had to be an especially tough loss for Andy, he is a better player now than he was last year. He no longer is playing not to lose. Instead, he is playing to win and the wins will come. He may very well overtake Nadal and Federer this season.

As for Novak, what can you say. His confidence from a magnificent 2011 campaign carries on. He does not expect to lose. He expects to win and frankly, he would rather see Federer or Nadal in the semis than Murray. This epic match sets the stage for a spectacular year on the tour.

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