Andy Murray became only the seventh man to reach all four Grand Slam semi-finals in the same season by beating John Isner.
British star to meet Nadal in semi-finals on Saturday
Andy Murray became only the seventh man in history to reach all four Grand Slam semi-finals in the same season as he beat John Isner in the last eight of the US Open.
Murray beat the American hope 7-5 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7/2) and will next meet Rafael Nadal, his conqueror at the French Open and Wimbledon this year.
The British star played well throughout the contest but had to fend off a brave fightback from the big-serving Isner, who took the third set and threatened Murray towards the end of the fourth too.
However, Murray held firm in the fourth-set tie-break and aided by an untimely double fault from his opponent, he sealed victory to move into the last four.
He told
Sky Sports: "I played great tonight, pretty much the whole way through the match. I played really well, especially in the fourth set tie-break."
Asked about how he felt after two matches in as many days and another to follow on Saturday, Murray added: "I'll have to see how I feel tomorrow.
"Three and a half hours in that heat isn't easy. Hopefully Rafa and Andy have a long one too so both players are in the same boat tomorrow.
Tense
"If I play well I can win the match."
However, that wasn't the case with Nadal losing just six games as he crushed Roddick.
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, on a nine-match winning streak, fell into trouble at the start of the second set when he was broken to love. Murray also had points for a double-break lead but one proved enough for him to establish a two-set advantage.
However, the American was in no mood to surrender and he broke Murray for the first time when the third set began courtesy of an excellent return.
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.
Treatment
The American received treatment for an ankle problem before the start of the fourth set and he continued his policy of all-out attack, piling the pressure on Murray.
Isner 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. It was a huge moment.
Into a tie-break they went. Isner had won his last 11 breakers but an early double fault handed Murray an early lead.
He refused to relinquish it and when Isner fired a forehand return wide after three hours and 24 minutes, Murray had the win and his place in the history books.
The world number four follows in the footsteps of Rod Laver, Tony Roche, Ivan Lendl, Roger Federer, Nadal and Novak Djokovic in reaching four major semi-finals in a calendar year.
Asked about the feat, Murray added: "It's an incredible list of players - not that I'm as those on the list.
"It's a great achievement.
"It's nice."
Murray's clash with Nadal will take place not before 1945 BST on Saturday.
