Tennis Andy Murray Andy Murray insists three previous Australian Open final defeats to Novak Djokovic mean NOTHING

Sunday will be the Scot's fifth Melbourne final and he is yet to win one - but his two Grand Slam titles came after winning finals against the Serb 

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The good news is Andy Murray reached his fifth Australian Open final with a thrilling win over Milos Raonic.
The bad news is he has to play Novak Djokovic again, writes Neil McLeman in Melbourne.
In four previous finals at Melbourne Park, he has lost to the world No.1 three times, including last year when he went down 6-0 in the final set after falling for the Serb faking tiredness.
He also lost the 2012 semi-final to him.
Djokovic has won 10 of their 11 matches since Murray’s Wimbledon triumph and was sensational in his semi-final destruction of Roger Federer.
In a Grand Slam dominated by talk of gambling and irregular betting patterns, there will be no sudden rush of money backing the world No.2 to stage an upset.

In pictures - Murray beats Raonic

 

But Murray, who has beaten Djokovic in the final for his two Grand Slam triumphs, insisted he was not mentally damaged by the defeats.
And he cited Stan Wawrinka’s first win over Rafa Nadal in the 2014 final here, after losing their first 12 matches, as proof that shocks happen.
“Five finals is a great achievement – you can’t take that away from me,” said the Scot. “I should be happy about that.
Rivalry: Murray and Djokovic have long history

“I have a very good shot on Sunday if I play my best tennis. I need to do it for long enough to have a chance. I’m aware of that.
“It’s one tennis match. Doesn’t matter what’s happened in the past. It’s about what happens on Sunday.
"People like to read into what’s happened in the past, but Stan beat Rafa in the final here.”
Upset: Wawrinka celebrates beating Nadal

Murray took Djokovic to five sets in the French Open semi then ended an eight-match losing streak by winning the Montreal final.
“We’ve played a lot in the last couple of years,” he added. “Last year here is a good match for me to look at because the tennis, in my opinion, wasn’t miles apart.”
His 4-6 7-5 6-7 6-4 6-2 win over Raonic was an ideal warm-up for the battle ahead.


But the just over four-hour contest also used up valuable energy while Djokovic had his feet up in his hotel room.
Murray dropped his serve in the opening game to love, but it did not happen again.
Raonic served ferociously – the fastest at 144.7mph – and it took Murray 93 minutes to break him to claim the second set.

Semi test: Murray came through it to reach final

Raonic won a brilliant tie-break but aggravated an adductor strain in the third set.
And when he served a double fault to be broken in the first game of the fifth set, the usually placid Canadian smashed his racquet in frustration.
“I couldn’t push off on my leg,” he said. “It’s probably the most heartbroken I’ve ever felt on court.”