Leading by two sets but trailing 2-3 in the third overnight Murray lost the third set before breaking the French, Wimbledon and Olympic champion in the tenth game of the fourth, wrapping up the biggest victory of his career with a backhand winner to complete a 6-2 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 6-4 victory.

 

Murray, who was beaten in the first round of the Olympics in Beijing last month, is the first British player to reach the final of a Grand Slam since the Canadian-born Greg Rusedski who also got to the final of the US Open in 1997 but was beaten in the final by Australia's Pat Rafter.

 

The Dunblane-born player now meets Switzerland's defending champion Roger Federer in tomorrow's delayed final.

 

Murray, who has less than 24 hours before the showpiece final at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, admitted he was "very relieved" after beating Nadal.

 

He said: "To come back after [Saturday] when I was two sets up was obviously tough to sleep on."

 

"The atmosphere in here was unbelievable today.

 

"[The crowd] only got a set and a half worth of tennis but I thought they were unbelievable.

 

"That really helped me through."

 

Murray, who will attempt to become the first British man to win a Grand Slam title since the great Fred Perry at the 1936 US Open, has a 2-1 winning record against world  number two Federer going into their match at Flushing Meadows.

 

He said: "I have played well against him in the past so hopefully I can do the same again tomorrow."