Murray's US Open dreams shattered

Jamie Murray's bid to reach a second consecutive grand slam mixed doubles final faltered after he and partner Liezel Huber suffered a 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (7-5) 10-5 defeat by India's Leander Paes and American Meghann Shaughnessy in the semi-final of the US Open.

The first set followed serve until Shaughnessy conceded a mini-break and served out to claim a 1-0 lead.

Murray held the first game of the second set with a comfortable service - a feat quickly matched by Paes. But then Huber, after looking in control with her first couple of serves, surrendered a break.

Shaughnessy then nearly lost her serve as some fine returns put Murray and Huber within two shots of their own break by making it 40-40 on two occasions before eventually slipping 3-1 behind.

Murray restored some confidence with a trouble-free game to make it 3-2 and the next two went with serve before some resilient tennis from Murray in the eighth game saw the set levelled at 4-4 with one break apiece. Paes then found himself serving at 5-4 down and kept his nerve to hold with an ace.

Then despite Huber experiencing some struggles with her serve, Murray's efforts ensured they held as Shaughnessy put a return to the net before the American held to stay in the contest.

A second tie-break ensued with Shaughnessy and Paes claiming an early mini-break to go 4-1 up before the former double-faulted to offer her opponents some respite with Huber's return closing the gap further.

Huber then put the ball past Paes to level the scores and a fifth consecutive winner saw them go 5-4 up before Paes won two consecutive points on his serve for set point which he converted himself at the net to send the clash into a first to 10 tie-break.

Paes was inspired showing his class with some ferocious forehands as well as holding his nerve on serve to open up a 4-1 lead before Murray converted at the net from Huber's second serve and repeated the feat for 4-3.

Shaughnessy and Paes won the next two points, Murray responded before putting a half-volley long to go 7-4 down and Paes held two service points to bring up five match points. Huber held her first serve but Paes hit a forehand down the line to secure a place in the final.