DON EMMERT via Getty Images
Andy Murray's US Open campaign ended with a gruelling four-set defeat by Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals.
It was past 1am in New York when the world number one finally finished off a 7-6 (7/1) 6-7 (1/7) 6-2 6-4 victory after three hours and 32 minutes to move forward to a semi-final against Japan's Kei Nishikori.
The considerable consolation for Murray was that he played his best tennis since back surgery almost a year ago and looks close to the form that brought him two grand slam titles.
Djokovic is on course to win his second successive Grand Slam
Djokovic said: "We both gave our best. At times the tennis was not that nice, we made a lot of unforced errors, but it was due to the very physical battle in the opening two-and-a-half sets.
"I didn't expect any less knowing I was going to face Andy. The last five times we played, it was always over three or four hours. I'm very glad to get through to another semi-final."
Djokovic beats Murray
2014 US Open - Day 10(01 of23)
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 03: Andy Murray of Great Britain reacts during a break in play against Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their men's singles quarterfinal match on Day Ten of the 2014 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 3, 2014 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) (credit:Streeter Lecka via Getty Images)
TEN-US OPEN-DJOKOVIC-MURRAY(02 of23)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia (R) meets Andy Murray of Great Britain at the net after their US Open 2014 men's quarterfinals match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Center September 3, 2014 in New York. AFP PHOTO/Don Emmert (Photo credit should read DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:DON EMMERT via Getty Images)
TEN-US OPEN-DJOKOVIC-MURRAY(03 of23)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates his victory over Andy Murray of Great Britain during their US Open 2014 men's quarterfinals match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Center September 3, 2014 in New York. AFP PHOTO/Don Emmert (Photo credit should read DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:DON EMMERT via Getty Images)
TEN-US OPEN-DJOKOVIC-MURRAY(04 of23)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates his victory over Andy Murray of Great Britain during their US Open 2014 men's quarterfinals match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Center September 3, 2014 in New York. AFP PHOTO/Don Emmert (Photo credit should read DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:DON EMMERT via Getty Images)
2014 US Open - Day 10(05 of23)
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 3 : Andy Murray of Great Britain returns the ball to Novak Djokovic of Serbia (not seen) during men's singles quarterfinal match on Day Ten of the 2014 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, United States on September 3, 2014. (Photo by Bilgin S. Sasmaz/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
TEN-US OPEN-DJOKOVIC-MURRAY(06 of23)
Andy Murray of Britain reacts to a point against Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their 2014 US Open men's singles match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center September 3, 2014 in New York. AFP PHOTO/Stan HONDA (Photo credit should read STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:STAN HONDA via Getty Images)
TEN-US OPEN-DJOKOVIC-MURRAY(07 of23)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates his victory over Andy Murray of Great Britain during their US Open 2014 men's quarterfinals match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Center September 3, 2014 in New York. AFP PHOTO/Don Emmert (Photo credit should read DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:DON EMMERT via Getty Images)
TEN-US OPEN-DJOKOVIC-MURRAY(08 of23)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates his victory over Andy Murray of Great Britain during their US Open 2014 men's quarterfinals match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Center September 3, 2014 in New York. AFP PHOTO/Don Emmert (Photo credit should read DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:DON EMMERT via Getty Images)
TEN-US OPEN-DJOKOVIC-MURRAY(09 of23)
Andy Murray of Britain reacts to a point against Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their 2014 US Open men's singles match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center September 3, 2014 in New York. AFP PHOTO/Stan HONDA (Photo credit should read STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:STAN HONDA via Getty Images)
TEN-US OPEN-DJOKOVIC-MURRAY(10 of23)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts to winning a game against Andy Murray of Britain during their 2014 US Open men's singles match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center September 3, 2014 in New York. AFP PHOTO/Stan HONDA (Photo credit should read STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:STAN HONDA via Getty Images)
TEN-US OPEN-DJOKOVIC-MURRAY(11 of23)
Andy Murray of Great Britain reacts to a point against Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their US Open 2014 men's quarterfinals match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Center September 3, 2014 in New York. AFP PHOTO/Don Emmert (Photo credit should read DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:DON EMMERT via Getty Images)
TEN-US OPEN-DJOKOVIC-MURRAY(12 of23)
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio (top) watches Novak Djokovic of Serbia against Andy Murray of Great Britain during their US Open 2014 men's quarterfinals match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Center September 3, 2014 in New York. AFP PHOTO/Don Emmert (Photo credit should read DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:DON EMMERT via Getty Images)
TEN-US OPEN-DJOKOVIC-MURRAY(13 of23)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts to a hold of serve in the third set against Andy Murray of Great Britain during their US Open 2014 men's quarterfinals match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Center September 3, 2014 in New York. AFP PHOTO/Don Emmert (Photo credit should read DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:DON EMMERT via Getty Images)
TEN-US OPEN-DJOKOVIC-MURRAY(14 of23)
Andy Murray of Great Britain reacts to a point against Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their US Open 2014 men's quarterfinals match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Center September 3, 2014 in New York. AFP PHOTO/Don Emmert (Photo credit should read DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:DON EMMERT via Getty Images)
TEN-US OPEN-DJOKOVIC-MURRAY(15 of23)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts to a point against Andy Murray of Great Britain during their US Open 2014 men's quarterfinals match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Center September 3, 2014 in New York. AFP PHOTO/Don Emmert (Photo credit should read DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:DON EMMERT via Getty Images)
TEN-US OPEN-DJOKOVIC-MURRAY(16 of23)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns to Andy Murray of Great Britain during their US Open 2014 men's quarterfinals match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Center September 3, 2014 in New York. AFP PHOTO/Don Emmert (Photo credit should read DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:DON EMMERT via Getty Images)
2014 US Open - Day 10(17 of23)
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 03: Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after defeating Andy Murray of Great Britain in their men's singles quarterfinal match on Day Ten of the 2014 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 3, 2014 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Djokovic defeated Murray 7-6, 6-7, 6-2, 6-4. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) (credit:Streeter Lecka via Getty Images)
2014 US Open - Day 10(18 of23)
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 03: Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts against Andy Murray of Great Britain during their men's singles quarterfinal match on Day Ten of the 2014 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 3, 2014 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) (credit:Streeter Lecka via Getty Images)
2014 US Open - Day 10(19 of23)
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 03: Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts against Andy Murray of Great Britain during their men's singles quarterfinal match on Day Ten of the 2014 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 3, 2014 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) (credit:Alex Goodlett via Getty Images)
2014 US Open - Day 10(20 of23)
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 03: Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after defeating Andy Murray of Great Britain in their men's singles quarterfinal match on Day Ten of the 2014 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 3, 2014 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Djokovic defeated Murray 7-6, 6-7, 6-2, 6-4. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) (credit:Streeter Lecka via Getty Images)
2014 US Open - Day 10(21 of23)
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 03: Andy Murray of Great Britain reacts against Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their men's singles quarterfinal match on Day Ten of the 2014 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 3, 2014 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) (credit:Julian Finney via Getty Images)
2014 US Open - Day 10(22 of23)
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 03: Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts against Andy Murray of Great Britain during their men's singles quarterfinal match on Day Ten of the 2014 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 3, 2014 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) (credit:Streeter Lecka via Getty Images)
2014 US Open - Day 10(23 of23)
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 03: Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts against Andy Murray of Great Britain during their men's singles quarterfinal match on Day Ten of the 2014 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 3, 2014 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) (credit:Streeter Lecka via Getty Images)