Andy Murray confirms spot in the Australian Open final

It was a dogged effort by David Ferrer, but in the end Andy Murray proved too strong for the Spaniard and the whole of Britain will be anxiously awaiting the Australian Open final.

Love him or hate him – and Murray certainly divides opinion – the Australian Open final will be a huge betting event and new customers to Ladbrokes can get in on the action by signing up here for a fee bet worth £25.

The Scot will resume his rivalry with friend and world number three Novak Djokovic in the final after the Serb demolished Roger Federer in the other semi-final.

Murray is 11/10 to defeat Djokovic with the Serb available at 4/6, and the payout will be huge should Murray overcome the favourite.

Murray and Djokovic haven’t met each other since the 2009 Sony Ericsson final in Miami which Murray won in straight sets 6-2, 7-5.

The two have faced off against each other seven times overall and while Djokovic leads with a 4-3 head-to-head lead, Murray has won all three of the last encounters between the two.

If there was any time to put your patriotic money where your patriotic mouth is, Sunday’s final is the time as Murray searches for his first Grand Slam win.

Novak Djokovic has the advantage of winning an Australian Open and after his demolition job on Roger Federer in the semi-final, it’s certainly going to be a tough match for Murray.

But the Scot has dropped just two sets on his way to the final and is in the form of his life in the first Grand Slam of 2011.

Murray is on course to become the first male Briton to win a Grand Slam since 1936. New customers can sign up here for a free bet worth £25.