Murray beats Isner to reach semis

British number one Andy Murray became only the seventh man in the Open era to reach the semi-finals at all four grand slams in a single year with a gripping 7-5 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7/2) victory over giant American John Isner at the US Open.

The world number four, who follows in the footsteps of Rod Laver, Tony Roche, Ivan Lendl, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, looked to have Isner in his pocket at two sets up but the 28th seed hit back.

Isner played superb tennis in the third and fourth sets but Murray held on and proved the stronger in the tie-break to set up a last-four clash with Nadal.

It was tense stuff early on, the pair testing each other out in front of a sparse crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium, but in the 11th game Murray's chance came, a double fault giving him his first two break points, and he took the first when Isner miscued a forehand. Isner's task got a lot harder when he was broken to love at the start of the second set.

The pressure of the opener lifted, the Scot was now playing superbly and two more glorious passes gave him points for a 3-0 lead but this time Isner's serve came to his rescue. The American lifted his game again but it was not enough to deny Murray the second set.

Isner's hopes looked extremely faint now but he hit back at the start of the third with his first break of the match, taking his third chance with a return that was too hot for Murray to handle.

Murray had his chance in the fifth game when he created a break point with a backhand lob winner after somehow reaching a drop shot, but he could not take it, sending a backhand just long and swearing loudly. Isner was rock solid on serve now and he clinched the set with his 13th ace before receiving treatment for an ankle problem before the start of the fourth set.

Isner was playing very well now, and it was the home favourite, being roared on by a much fuller stadium, who created break points, two of them, in game nine. Murray came up with an ace on the first and on the second he scrambled a half-volley winner after a second serve Isner thought was out - but replays showed the ball to be a fraction in.

It was a huge moment, but if Murray's luck was in there it definitely was not on the second point of the 12th game when, with Isner serving at 0-15, a shot from the Scot was called out and over-ruled just as his opponent put a backhand long.

Murray hung his head and into a tie-break they went but a double fault from Isner handed the advantage to his opponent. A missed volley gave the fourth seed two serves for victory, and he made no mistake, sealing it when Isner fired a forehand return wide after three hours and 24 minutes.