Djokovic through to face Murray in final

Andy Murray will face Novak Djokovic in the final of the US Open on Monday after the defending champion defeated David Ferrer in their delayed semi-final in New York.

Fourth seed Ferrer had led 5-2 when play was suspended on Saturday but, although he took the first set, Djokovic quickly hit back and wrapped up a 2-6 6-1 6-4 6-2 victory after two hours and 32 minutes.

It will be the second grand slam final meeting between Murray and Djokovic after the Serb's crushing win at the Australian Open last year at the start of a sensational season that saw him pick up three slam titles.

He successfully defended his title in Melbourne this year, beating Murray and Rafael Nadal back-to-back in brutal five-setters, but Murray got some revenge with victory in the Olympic semi-final before going on to win the gold medal. Djokovic will play in his third consecutive US Open final and his seventh final out of the last nine grand slams.

Djokovic had looked completely out of sorts in the wind on Saturday, complaining to umpire Carlos Bernardes that the match should be postponed.

He was lucky to get his wish, with organisers worried about the threat of a tornado that did not materialise, and had they carried on the result may well have been different. But under blue skies and with only a little breeze, the defending champion was back to the form that has made him unbeaten in grand slams on hard courts for two years.

Ferrer served out the first set, the only set Djokovic has lost at the tournament so far this year, but the Serb promptly reeled off the next five games.

Ferrer finally held to avoid a love set but, although he was trading well with Djokovic in long rallies, the second seed always seemed to have one more shot.

Djokovic broke early in the third set as well but Ferrer showed his tenacity to hit back. The Spaniard was broken again in the seventh game, though, and that proved to be the crucial moment.

Djokovic wrapped up the set and then all but sealed victory by winning the first four games of the fourth. Ferrer dug in to ensure at least the scoreline would be respectable but he was well beaten. Murray has certainly had the better of the schedule and a day's rest, but there is no doubt, whatever he says, that Djokovic will go into the final as the man to beat.