Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski advanced to their first Grand Slam semi-final as a team on Wednesday, rallying from 2-5 down in the third set to defeat home favourites Jack Sock and Jackson Withrow 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(4) in the last eight of the US Open.
Murray won the title in Flushing Meadows three years ago with Brazilian Bruno Soares, and he will compete in his fifth men's doubles semi-final. He had lost his five most recent major quarter-finals. His partner, Skupski, is into the last four at a Slam for the first time.
"We did really well. We fought hard, it was a tough match. Both guys have big serves, Sock obviously is dangerous off the ground" Murray said. "We did well at the start of the second set to get ahead and get a bit of momentum on the board. Obviously we lost our serve quite early in the third, but we fought back. Not saying we deserved to win more than them, but for us, for just the fight and the effort, the training we've done over the past few weeks, we got our payback for that."
The No. 15 seeds won each of their first three matches in straight sets without a set going past 6-4. But they needed to go the distance against the Americans, triumphing after one hour and 54 minutes.
Next up will be top seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal/Robert Farah, who scored the lone break in each set to move past Luke Bambridge/Ben McLachlan 6-4, 6-4.
The Colombian pair landed 83 per cent of their first serves and saved both break points they faced to advance in 76 minutes. Cabal/Farah improved to 43-13 this season and are two matches from their first-tour level title since capturing their maiden Grand Slam two months ago at Wimbledon (d. Mahut/Roger-Vasselin).
