Novak Djokovic v Andy Murray, US Open Quarter-final: Murray Hoping to Call on Fond Memories at Flushing Meadows

The year of 2014 might have been a case of the morning after the night before for Andy Murray, yet in the New York evening the British No.1 has the chance to swat away his Wimbledon hangover against the might of Novak Djokovic at the US Open.

Murray's route to the last eight has been near faultless though, while the three-set win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the fourth round represented his finest performance of the year, there remains an abundance of caution in the Scot's camp.

The 27-year-old's primary weapon – his outstanding fitness – is not yet at its peak and without it he enters the meeting with Djokovic as the overwhelming underdog. The Serbian has not enjoyed a successful 2014 either but with metronomic meticulousness raises his game during the twilight of the season.

Therefore, it will be up to Murray to call on past experiences if he is to slalom through to just his second grand slam semi-final of the year. Two of the last three major meetings between the pair have gone the way of Murray, and both victories resulted in a Grand Slam title.

"Yeah. I mean, they [the US Open and Wimbledon wins over Djokovic] obviously will help," said Murray. "It's more -- I wouldn't say in terms of getting confidence more. It's just having that experience of playing those matches.

"They were both very long, tough matches, as well. So I know that I can last those matches against him. But, yeah. I mean, I have said it a number of times: anything can happen in a couple of days. I just do everything properly and hope on Wednesday I play a good match."

The dynamic is naturally entirely different for Djokovic, winner of (just) two grand slam titles in his last seven final appearances during which he was twice upstaged by Murray.

Though chasing an eighth successive semi-final appearance at the US Open, Djokovic is naturally respectful of Murray's abilities which he has monitored since the pair's days as successful juniors.

"I think he performs his best in the Grand Slams," he said. "Even though he had this back surgery last year that kept him off the tour for the last few months of the season, he's been on and off this year.

"But I think in the big matches, as the tournament progresses, he's still fit. He still plays very high quality tennis. That's what I expect him to do."

The meeting represents a 'nothing to lose' scenario for Murray. Amid questions regarding his physical and mental state, he faces the finest exponent of those factors in world tennis. Past memories will have to count for a lot.