Miami  - Andy Murray brings an awesome recent record in Masters 1000 events into his Sunday title clash with Novak Djokovic for the Miami crown.

The Scot number 4 has played for the trophy in four of his last appearances at this elite level, winning Cincinnati and Madrid (back-to-back) and reaching the Indian Wells final a fortnight ago against Rafael Nadal.

Miami - An irate Roger Federer smashed a racket for the first time in memory as the normally calm Swiss stumbled to a 3-6, 6- 2, 6-3 loss against Novak Djokovic in the Miami Masters semi-finals on Friday.

Federer reduced his Wilson to scrap in a flash in the third game of a frustrating final set against the third seed as the Serb claimed a 3-0 lead after winning his sixth straight game in a turnaround.

At one point, Federer lost five of six service games.

Miami - Roger Federer is feeling the natural frustration of a tennis hero whose last title came just shy of six months ago.

The usually solid Swiss smashed his racket at a moment of third-set tension as he went down to a 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 semi-final loss to Novak Djokovic at the Miami Masters. He last lifted a trophy at his home Swiss Open in Basel on October 20.

Federer, who lost his Australian Open trophy to Rafael Nadal this season, is feeling his former dominance slip.

Miami - Irate Roger Federer smashed a racket for the first time in memory as the normally calm Swiss stumbled to a 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 loss against Novak Djokovic in the Miami Masters semi-finals on Friday.

Federer reduced his Wilson to scrap in a flash in the third game of a frustrating final set against the third seed as the Serb moved claimed a 3-0 lead after winning his sixth straight game in a turnaround.

At one point, Federer lost five of six service games.

Miami  - Rafael Nadal eagerly hopped the first available flight back to Europe on Friday after what the Spaniard admits was a brutal, tiring month of March in the US.

The world number 1 lifted a title at Indian Wells over Andy Murray but followed up at Crandon Park with a quarter-final shock at the Miami Masters.

The clay master from Mallorca was hoping to clear his head and rest his body over the weekend before plunging into training next week on his home island prior to the start of the Monte Carlo Masters starting next Easter Sunday.

Miami  - Teenager Victoria Azarenka reinforced this week's move into the Top 10 as she reached her third final of the season with a marathon 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 defeat of former champion Svetlana Kuznetsova at the Miami Masters on Thursday.

The 19-year-old, Arizona-based Azarenka spent nearly three hours and needed four match points to finally book her spot. She awaits the result of the clash later between sisters Serena and Venus Williams, who between them hold eight titles at their home event.