Murray, Nadal eye Paris final

– Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal (above) can edge closer to an intriguing French Open final today after drastically contrasting campaigns in Paris.

World No 1 Murray was the first British man in the Roland Garros final since Bunny Austin in 1937 when he finished runner-up to Novak Djokovic last year.

Two more victories, however, starting with his semifinal against 2015 winner Stan Wawrinka, would make him the first Briton to lift the men’s trophy since Fred Perry 82 years ago.

Nadal, who tackles Dominic Thiem, who beat defending champion Djokovic, is bidding to become the first man to capture the same Major on 10 occasions.

Murray arrived in France with a fever, the latest woe in a season which has seen him endure an elbow injury, flu and shingles.

“I came in playing garbage,” admitted the 30-year-old of a Masters clay-court swing which saw him exit in the third round in Monte Carlo and Madrid and lose his opener in Rome.

“If someone had offered me a semifinal spot before the tournament, I would have signed up.”

He needed four sets to get past Andrey Kuznetsov and Martin Klizan in the first two rounds.

Then he sailed past Juan Martin del Potro in straight sets and was similarly at ease against Karen Khachanov in the last-16.

However, in the quarterfinals, he dropped the first set against Kei Nishikori before his greater stamina proved decisive.

Nadal, meanwhile, is the hot favourite to collect an unprecedented 10th French Open and 15th career major.

The 31-year-old Spaniard hasn’t yet dropped a set. –