Teenaged British wild card entry Andy Murray defied all the odds on Saturday as he rallied past local hero Paradorn Srichaphan 6-7 (3/7), 7-5, 6-2 to set up a miracle final at the 550,000-dollar Thailand open against peerless Roger Federer.
The Scottish outsider, not even entered in the event little more than a week ago and sitting outside the Top 100, has broken every convention this week, paying his dues in the course of a few days on the ATP.
Besides cracking the Top 100 by a wide margin, the 18-year-old who survived a school shooting a decade ago as a child will now with face a huge test Sunday against Federer, the world number one holder.
It was business as usual for the Swiss as friendship temporarily went out the window in a brief 6-3, 6-4 semi-final rout of Jarkko Nieminen.
Federer stands an ATP-best 76-3 record on the season after winning his 30th straight match.
The defending champion spent just 56 minutes in knocking back the player he has now beaten all seven times they have met.
Their last match nine months ago ended badly for the 42nd-ranked Finn as Nieminen was forced to withdraw midway through their third-round match at the Australian Open with a pulled stomach muscle.
"I'm 7-0 against him, but that's just the way it goes," said Federer, a friend of his fellow 24-year-old from junior days. "He's my good friend, but that the way it is sometimes.
"This year it feel tougher getting to the final, since I came straight from Davis Cup," said the world number one. "But getting into the final is what matters, that's the important part of the tournament."
The holder will bid for his 11th trophy this season with only Murray standing in the way.
The Scot calmly ignored a losing first set, recovering without hesitation against the seventh seeded Paradorn, who has yet to reach the final at his hometown event.
Murray favoured his right wrist while the Thai was treated for cramping in the third set and was limited in his movement in the closing stages.
Murray fought to victory in a final game featuring three deuces, claiming the win of his career when the Thai couldn't touch a service return stringer down the line after nearly two-and-a-half hours on court.
COLLATED RESULTS (x denotes seeds):
SEMI-FINAL: Roger Federer (SUI x 1) bt Jarkko Nieminen (FIN x 6) 6-3, 6-4; Andy Murray (GBR) bt Paradorn Srichaphan (THA x 7) 6-7 (7/3), 7-5, 6-2.
FINAL: Roger Federer (SUI x 1) v Andy Murray (GBR).
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