Andy Murray Beats Richard Gasquet To Reach Semi-Final

 

Andy Murray sealed his place in the French Open semi-finals with a 5-7 7-6 (7-3) 6-0 6-2 win over ninth seed Richard Gasquet. Home favourite Gasquet, making his first appearance in a Roland Garros quarter-final, came from 3-0 and 5-3 down to win the first set 7-5 and when he led 3-1 in the second set tie-break he looked good value to seize a two-set advantage.

World No 2 Murray rallied in fantastic style to reel off six points in succession to level the match at one set apiece and he never looked back. Three breaks of the Gasquet serve were enough for Murray to take the third set 6-0 and the Scot closed out the final set in routine fashion to seal an impressive victory and a 19th career Grand Slam semi-final, where he will face defending champion Stan Wawrinka.French Open Men's,Friday 3rd, 14:00pmStan Wawrinka v Andy Murray

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The Swiss third seed recorded a third successive straight sets win when he saw off unseeded Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas with a routine 6-2 6-1 7-6 (9-7) victory. Murray's task was infinitely more demanding and he needed more than three hours to see off Gasquet - although it looked like his task might be a lot more straightforward early on.

In front of a surprisingly half-empty Philippe Chatrier Court it was the British No 1 who dominated the early exchanges, racing into a 3-0 lead with two comfortable holds of serve and an early break. But when he was leading 5-3 and serving for the set the momentum swung hugely to bring the crowd into the match.

Murray seemed to tighten under the pressure and Gasquet was able to break back, the first of five games in succession that clinched the set. The Paris masses delighted in Gasquet's success but the French No 2 was up against it early in the second set as Murray broke again for a lead that looked crucial.

Remarkably at 5-3 and with Murray serving for the set to level the match, Gasquet broke again to haul himself back into the set, a break he consolidated to level at 5-5. Murray stemmed the flow to take a 6-5 lead and then had chances to break and win the set, but the Frenchman held firm to take the second set into a tie-break.

A spot in the last four of a Grand Slam for the 19th time draws Murray level with Stefan Edberg and John McEnroe and he will hope to add a third major title to his CV at the weekend having already claimed the US Open in 2012 and Wimbledon in 2013 but he will face Wawrinka, who is also targeting a third Slam having won in Paris last year to go with his 2014 Australian Open success.