Andy Murray v Marin Cilic

A packed house at the Rod Laver Arena for semi-final day ... The 6ft 6in Croatian Marin Cilic is blocking Andy Murray's path to his second grand slam final Photograph: John Donegan/AP Photograph: John Donegan/guardian.co.uk Murray wins the first game of the match but can't break Cilic's serve in the second Photograph: Paul Miller/EPA Photograph: Paul Miller/guardian.co.uk Cilic, however, uses his power to break Murray's serve twice in the first set, which he wins 6-3 Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images Photograph: Cameron Spencer/guardian.co.uk It's the first time the Scot has lost a set at the Australian Open this year and he cries out in anguish Photograph: David Gray/Reuters Photograph: David Gray/guardian.co.uk Murray needs to regain his composure fast ... having disposed of Rafael Nadal in three sets in the quarter final with an imperious display - albeit sealed by the Spaniard's retirement - Murray's game looks decidely flat against Cilic today Photograph: William West/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: William West/guardian.co.uk A teddy bear dangles from the stands in support of the Scot Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images Photograph: Ryan Pierse/guardian.co.uk Murray changes his shirt from blue to white during the break between the first and second sets ... Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images Photograph: Ryan Pierse/guardian.co.uk ... and with it his luck seems to change too. He rediscovers his form and wins an astonishing rally to break Cilic before going on to claim the second set 6-4 Photograph: Tim Wimborne/Reuters Photograph: Tim Wimborne/guardian.co.uk Cilic has never before played a semi-final at a grand slam ... and the 21-year-old is beginning to look jaded as the cumulation of his exertions in reaching this round begin to show Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images Photograph: Cameron Spencer/guardian.co.uk The stage is set for Murray to dominate the third set ... he duly earns a break, only to see Cilic snatch one straight back Photograph: Mick Tsikas/Reuters Photograph: Mick Tsikas/guardian.co.uk Murray wins the seventh game of the the set, on Cilic's serve ... and claims the third set 6-3 Photograph: John Donegan/AP Photograph: John Donegan/guardian.co.uk Murray's mother Judy, top left, celebrates in the stands Photograph: Robert Prezioso/Getty Images Photograph: Robert Prezioso/guardian.co.uk The fourth set is nothing more than a formality ... thanks to breaks in the third and fifth games he wins the set 6-2 and books his place in the final Photograph: Vivek Prakash/Reuters Photograph: Vivek Prakash/guardian.co.uk Elsewhere in the tournament today ... Wild-card Justine Henin faces the unseeded Zheng Jie in the women's semis. Henin, the former world No1, is back at her first grand slam after 20 months in retirement Photograph: Paul Crock/AP Photograph: Paul Crock/guardian.co.uk Zheng held her serve to win the opening game Photograph: Paul Miller/EPA But that was the only game that she won as Henin put in a masterful of display of attacking tennis, including regular visits to the net, to take the next 12 games and win the match 6-1, 6-0 Photograph: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Such a crushing defeat was disappointing for the former Wimbledon semi-finalist. China must continue waiting for its first representative in a grand slam final Photograph: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images Photograph: Mark Kolbe/guardian.co.uk Henin is now just one game away from emulating her compatriot Kim Clijster's feat of winning a title in her first grand slam since returning to the sport Photograph: Tim Wimborne/Reuters Photograph: Tim Wimborne/guardian.co.uk After a hard fought three set match yesterday against Victoria Azarenka, Serena Williams must be hoping for an easier time in her semi-final against her sister's conqueror Na Li Photograph: John Donegan/AP Photograph: John Donegan/guardian.co.uk Li was broken in the opening game of the match, but showed her battling qualities as she hung in the set and then finally broke Serena's serve to make it 5-5 Photograph: Torsten Blackwood/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Torsten Blackwood/guardian.co.uk The set went to a-tie break, where unforced errors by Li and a second-serve ace gave Serena the lead Photograph: Mast Irham/EPA Photograph: Mast Irham/guardian.co.uk The second set was another tight affair, with Li fending off four match points to take the match to a second tie-break Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images Photograph: Ryan Pierse/guardian.co.uk But Serena finally broke Li's resistance and won the match with an ace. It was Williams' 50th victory at Melbourne and, if she beats Henin in the final, she will equal Billy-Jean King's record of 12 grand slam titles Photograph: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images Photograph: Quinn Rooney/guardian.co.uk