Andy Murray leading when rain arrives - US Open 2008 Semifinal

Andy Murray produced a sensational performance to lead world number one Rafael Nadal by two sets to love before rain halted their US Open semi-final.

The British number one led 6-2 7-6 (7-5) 2-3, trailing by a break in the third set, when the predicted bad weather arrived at Flushing Meadows.

They will now return at 2100 BST on Sunday to complete the match, with the men's final to be played on Monday.

Roger Federer beat Novak Djokovic 6-3 5-7 7-5 6-2 in the first semi-final.

He will have to wait until 2200 BST on Monday for the rescheduled men's final.

The second semi had been due to follow the Federer match but was moved to an earlier start on Louis Armstrong Stadium in the hope of avoiding the arrival of the remnants of tropical storm Hanna.

Murray went into the match having lost all five previous encounters with Nadal, who has overtaken Federer as the world number one with victories at the French Open, Wimbledon and the Olympic Games this year.

Nadal may present the most daunting challenge in the game at the moment but Murray began in blistering fashion.

The 21-year-old Scot broke in game three as Nadal appeared to struggle with the pace on Louis Armstrong.

Murray's impressive serving and frequent serve-volley tactics saw him rarely troubled on serve, and he was equally aggressive from the baseline, crunching a couple of clean winners for the double break at 5-2 as he took the first set.

Nadal fared little better in the second as he was repeatedly pressured on serve, and it was a credit to the struggling top seed that he held off seven break points despite failing to force a single one of his own.

The tie-break was a tense affair, with Murray letting an early lead slip but reeling off three points in a row to take it 7-5.

It was predictable that he would struggle to maintain that high standard and Nadal took advantage at the start of the third, finally earning himself a couple of break points and converting his first when Murray went long with a forehand.

While Nadal's level of play began to improve there was no sign of panic from Murray, and he had just wrapped up another service hold with successive aces when spots of rain began to fall on the court.

Umpire Steve Ullrich tested the footing and made the players wait in their chairs for a few minutes, to Murray's obvious displeasure, but the rain soon began to fall more heavily and they headed for the locker room.

Tournament director Jim Curley later defended the decision not to play both men's semi-finals at the same time.

"We had 23,000 people that wanted to see all four players," he said. "If you split them, the fans are not going to get that opportunity."

And tournament chief executive Arlen Kantarian gave the first indication that a roof will be built over Arthur Ashe Stadium - something that had previously been considered prohibitively expensive.

"At this point it is a question of when and not if," said Kantarian.

"We believe this tournament has reached the point where we are looking seriously at putting a roof on the Arthur Ashe Stadium."

It remains to be seen which of Murray and Nadal gains an advantage from the overnight delay.

Murray hopes to become the first British man since Fred Perry at the 1936 US Open to win a Grand Slam singles title.