Waiting for Fred (or a reasonable facsimile). That's been the turgid status of the British tennis crowd for, let's see, 72 years now.

They're yearning for another Fred Perry because, though the Brits invented tennis as we know it, they haven't been able to play the game for decades. The guys, anyway. I mustn't slight the gracious and graceful Virginia Wade, winner of the US Open in 1968 and Wimbledon in 1977.

However, the most recent male Brit to win a Major was the English-born Hall of Famer Perry, taking both Wimbledon and the US Open in 1936. Those were Great Depression days, and the tennis-minded Limeys have been depressed ever since. It's been like waiting for Godot.

There have been close calls with glory - Bunny Austin made the Wimbledon final in 1938, losing to Grand Slammer Don Budge, and Greg Rusedski (borrowed from Canada) the US final of 1997, falling to another Hall of Famer, Patrick Rafter.

Nevertheless, hope that springs eternal (but seems to have busted springs for the Brits) is greening up at Flushing Meadows in the shape of 21-year-old Andy Murray. Not an Englishman, mind you - he scolded me for addressing him as such - but an extremely talented Scotsman. I hope it will be good enough for the Brits. But, like Macbeth, he's far from lovable.

They and their audiences were rewarded yesterday as Murray severed the second-longest winning streak of the season and charged onward to the US Open semi-finals, a perch last occupied by a Brit four years ago in Tim Henman.

A slight 6ft 3in, Murray seemed dwarfed by 6ft 6in Argentine Juan Martin del Potro. Still, he pulled it off against the stunning teenager - who hadn't lost since July - 7-6 7-6 4-6 7-5. Though beaten in a rousing four hours, Del Potro is a youngster to command your attention, a 19-year-old who has risen from No.65 at Wimbledon to No.15.

Although raised on the dirt of Tandil, a prosperous city 400 miles from Buenos Aires, he moved onto American pavement with a vengeance, winning Los Angeles (over Andy Roddick) and Washington (over tough Serb Viktor Troicki) after taking European clay titles in Stuttgart and Kitzbuhel. Progressing to the Open quarter-finals, Del Potro racked up 23 straight match victories.

Though he had left knee problems, requiring constant taping, and seemed out of it after two sets, Del Potro counter-attacked fiercely, jarring Murray with huge forehands and moving brilliantly. He looks to be the best player to come out of Argentina since the country's tennis godfather, Guillermo Vilas

Vilas, in attendance, glowed approvingly.

Del Potro sighed, weeping: "I was feeling pain in all my body, but I did my best and we played a good match." And how. It was a gut check for both of them as they kept breaking each other throughout the closing set with breathless shotmaking that had the sunny afternoon-into-night crowd of 22,267 screaming.

"I don't know how many straight matches I won," said Del Potro, "but I play against one of the best players in the world - has has wins against Nadal and Djokovic. He was gooder than me, so I have to work."

You believe he will. It took all of Murray's cleverness, shotmaking, speed changes and fleetness in successfully pursuing his opponent's roaring blows.

First time in a Major semi-final for Murray, he now goes up against Nadal, who beat American Mardy Fish and is sure to be a heavy favorite. Murray had to dig himself out of four break points to go ahead 3-2 in the fourth. Later he held to go 6-5 up from 0-30. Del Potro rescued the first match point with a service winner, but was caught by successive soft shots, a slice and a chop.

Murray said: "I'm relieved. I played two good tie-breakers, then broke a string and my serve went off. We both had problems serving into the wind. I played the big points great. I was happy with the way I was able to come back after losing the third."

He didn't wear a kilt but several of his faithful did, and the Scotsman will get fine reviews. It's not every day - or do I mean year? - that a Brit ascends to a Major final four.

The Isles are still waiting for Fred, but there is a glint of hope. After all, Murray was wearing a Fred Perry logo on his togs.