"For Andy, I think he deserves to win his first Grand Slam. And I think he's going to do it," Nadal said less than an hour after a knee injury forced him to concede Tuesday's quarterfinal while he was trailing 6-3, 7-6 (2), 3-0.
"There's a very good chance for him. First thing, he's playing very well," Nadal said. "Second thing, he's already in the semifinals. He's only two matches away."
Story continues below ↓advertisement | your ad hereAndy Roddick also went out of the Australian Open on Tuesday, struggling with a shoulder injury before going down in five sets to Marin Cilic.
Nadal said he didn't want to risk further damage by playing on and potentially having to spend long periods off the tour with knee tendinitis like he did last year.
"Similar thing that I had last year," Nadal said of the pain. "It was impossible to win the match."
Murray will play a semifinal against Cilic, who beat No. 7 Roddick 7-6 (4), 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3 earlier Tuesday.
"I didn't know when he hurt his knee, when he started feeling it, but from my side, I played very well," said Murray, who is hoping to end a seven-decade British drought at the majors. "I deserved to be up when the match stopped."
The 22-year-old Scot can hardly wait to play his semifinal against Cilic.
"I lost to him at the U.S. Open in straight sets, so I'm looking for a little revenge," Murray said. "If I play like I did tonight I have got a good chance. Obviously nerves are going to be there with an opportunity to make a final of a Slam."
Roddick struggled through a right shoulder injury that impaired his movement, but he expects no long-term damage.
Nadal, who struggled with knee tendinitis and was unable to defend his Wimbledon title last season after beating Roger Federer in the Australian Open final, received on-court treatment from a trainer for a right knee ailment after losing the second set.
Three games later, the Spaniard decided he couldn't continue.
Still in the equation at Melbourne Park is three-time champion Federer, who plays Nikolay Davydenko in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. Novak Djokovic, the 2008 champion, takes on the same year's runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the other quarterfinal.
"I had to go for my shots, play big tennis. And when the big points come you don't want to play long points against Rafa," said Murray, whose only Grand Slam final appearance ended in a loss to Federer at the 2008 U.S. Open.
Roddick's only major has been the 2003 U.S. Open, the last time an American man has won a Grand Slam singles title, marking the country's longest drought in men's majors.
Roddick, Nadal advance to Aussie quartersDiarra returns with injury
