ANDY MURRAY believes he is in the form of his life after he booked his place in the final of the Australian Open with a four-set win over Marin Cilic.

The fifth-seeded Scot, inspired by a match-turning flash of inspiration in the second set, reached his second major final with a 3-6 6-4 6-4 6-2 victory in a shade over three hours on Rod Laver Arena.

It was the first time Murray had lost a set at the tournament and after breezing through the draw and knocking defending champion Rafael Nadal out in the previous round, the Scot admits he is in rare touch.

“This is the best I’ve played at a slam,” he said.

“Obviously the match against Rafa was great.

Tonight, the majority of the match was great as well.

“I feel good. Physically I’m going to be fresh for the final.”

Murray will play the winner of today’s semi-final between world number one Roger Federer and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Sunday.

Murray lost to Federer in his only previous major final at the US Open in 2008 and admitted he would like the chance to meet the Swiss again.

“Federer’s record in slams is amazing. So it would be incredibly tough to beat him,”

he said.

“But if I was to win a slam against him in the final, it would make it extra special.”

Murray had looked in trouble early against the 14th seed Cilic as he was broken twice to concede the first set.

The Scot was showing signs of frustration as the Croatian dominated the match with his booming forehand to run Murray around the court.

The momentum of the match turned, however, on a single moment of brilliance from Murray as he grabbed the opening break, and the initiative, in the second set.

Murray first ran down a net cord and when Cilic then shovelled a lob over him he somehow made enough ground to allow him to flick a forehand past his stunned rival.

“That was really important because I don’t want to say the match was slipping away from me, but the momentum was definitely with him,” he said.

“A few things weren’t quite going my way and he played some really aggressive tennis and was putting me under a lot of pressure.

“I was obviously happy I managed to turn it around because, like I say, he started to dictate the match.

“That shot made a big difference.”

Murray held on to his advantage to win the set and level the match and from there Cilic began to tire as his heavy workload from the previous rounds started to tell.

The Croatian was taken the five sets in three of his five matches, but refused to use it as an excuse for his defeat.

“I wouldn’t put my tiredness an excuse for losing this match,” said Cilic, who will break into the top ten for the first time after his performances at Melbourne Park.

“I think he deserved to win.

Any player who comes to the semis has their own pathway through.

“Today I wouldn’t say that I was a 100 per cent, but I gave my best and that’s most important thing that I can say.’’ Back at home, Prime Minister Gordon Brown led the tributes.

He told BBC Radio Five Live: “He is in the final, probably against Federer, and I hope he wins this major tournament.

“It would be great news. He is a great tennis player and a great guy.

‘‘I am sure the whole chamber will want to congratulate Andy Murray on reaching the Australian Open final.”