Murray fires a verbal volley as players hit out

Andy Murray last night led the calls for players to have more power as the scheduling row at the US Open reached boiling point.

The world No4 finally booked his place in the quarter-finals with a 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 win over American Donald Young in a match that was due to be played on Tuesday.

But as he prepared for a quarter-final clash with big-serving John Isner here today, it was the player revolt that was grabbing the headlines.

Murray joined the three players above him in the rankings, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, in slamming the tournament's organisers.

And American Andy Roddick was involved in a furious on-court exchange with referee Brian Earley over the state of the Louis Armstrong Court, asking the official: "What are we doing here? It's killing me. I am baffled right now."

Murray began his US Open bid days after some of his rivals at the only tournament where the first round is staged over three days and, after rain left the schedule in tatters, he said: "The players must have more of a voice.

"The only way to do that is by starting a player union and coming to an agreement with tournaments and the ITF [International Tennis Federation]. Because, if not, the same things will happen again and nothing will change."

Officials have already agreed to extend the tournament to Monday but world No1 Djokovic, through to the semi-finals where he will face Federer, said: "The players feel frustrated. We're not protected enough.

"So this is may be a turning point for all of us. God knows what's going to happen now. I'm happy to see that players are getting together. At least we're getting our voices out there."

Federer believes the Grand Slams take advantage of their position outside the regular tour, adding: "We have much less leverage and I find sometimes they abuse that situation a bit."

Nadal, who meets Roddick in the quarter-finals, said: "The problem is we need to have the right representation in these tournaments."

That representation could well come from Roddick, whose angry exchange with Earley saw his match switched to Court 13, where he saw off David Ferrer 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

He said: "You have to have the right person involved who might understand the business side of it. You'll need a player who's willing to make some sort of sacrifice.

"At this point in my career, I'd jump at the chance to leave the sport in a better position for the players who are moving forward."

Murray, meanwhile, must now turn his attentions to his quarter-final clash with Isner.

"I probably won't have that many opportunities to break him because he has a huge serve," said Murray, who beat the American in straight sets at the Australian Open last year.

"So I'll just try to make as many balls as I can on his return games, get as many serves back and get into some long rallies because that's where I'll be the favourite. However, it's going to be a really tough match."

In tomorrow's women's semi-finals, three-times US Open champion Serena Williams takes on the world No1 Caroline Wozniacki, of Denmark, while Australia's Sam Stosur comes up against the unseeded German Angelique Kerber.