By Robert Martin                Photo Credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

(August 20, 2011) In a match full of mistakes, World No. 4 Andy Murray displayed his unique repertoire to earn a tough 6-3, 7-6 (8) victory over Mardy Fish to earn a spot in the final. The Scot combined his arsenal of speed and deceptive pace to move into his first Masters final of the year where he will try for his seventh title.

Despite having only a slim 4-3 edge in career meetings against Murray, the American won all three meetings last year, including two Masters events played on hard courts. It was a varied match from both players with both players failing to seize the momentum on multiple occasions.

Fish played much of the match with blood trickling down his left knee after a dive while trailing 15-30 in his second service game. After missing the volley, Murray held his first break points against the normally solid-serving Fish.

Fish fought valiantly but eventually surrendered the break on Murray’s fifth chance. The World No. 8 had a chance to immediately break back, but Murray forced the error with a backhand down the line after pulling Fish wide to the forehand side.

With both players struggling to hold serve through the rest of the set, Murray unloaded a crosscourt forehand to take the set 6-3 after saving the third break chance with a forehand passing shot. It looked as if the match could be over shortly after when Murray came out and broke immediately in the first game on his third chance.

Fish answered back, quickly earning two points and converting on the second when Murray missed another forehand. Things began to look questionable for Murray who came up grasping his left leg after losing his serve.

After a quick hold by each player, a series of weak service games resulted in the players trading breaks two more times. Throughout the second set, both players appeared to be having problems, with Fish favoring the right foot while Murray favored the left quadriceps.

Fish was in danger after going down 0-40 at 5-5, but saved break points to hold for 6-5 before earning two set points in the next game. Murray fought back again to force a tiebreak that tilted back and forth for each player.

On Murray’s second match point at 8-7, he stroked a forehand return for the line that was called good, but a review by Fish showed that it was just outside of the line. After a short argument with the umpire, the Scot buckled down and won the next two points to earn his first hard court win against Fish since 2006.

Murray will face the winner of World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and Czech Tomas Berdych, who blitzed Roger Federer in the quarterfinal round.

Robert Martin is a writer for Tennis Now and has been a tennis fan and player for 10 years. He can be reached at [email protected].