Andy Murray raced into the semi-finals of Wimbledon after an easy last eight victory over Spain’s Feliciano Lopez.
Murray was dominant and the straights sets win over an out of sorts Lopez was the least he deserved.
The only real worry will be an injury the Scot appeared to pick up in the third set, but it should not threaten his participation in the semi-finals where he will play Rafael Nadal in what is a repeat of 2010’s last four clash.
Murray’s serving was powerful and his returning was up to its usual high standards. Lopez, on the other hand, struggled throughout and did not show many of the qualities in his game that got him to this stage.
It took Murray until the seventh game of the opening set to secure the first break. Lopez, saving a previous break point, gifted the game to Murray after netting a shot.
This was the only encouragement the Scot needed to race away with the set, which he did so 6-3. Murray was experiencing such a run of good form that he won every point on his first serve.
The first break of the second set came in the fifth game. Lopez, attempting a serve and volley, was expertly passed by Murray to give him two break points. He took the second one after a missed volley from Lopez which hit the top of the net and down onto the Spaniard’s side.
Murray’s returning was first-class against someone who has been regarded as the best server on the tour in 2011. His own serving wasn’t too bad either. He solidified the break by holding, and then closed out the set 6-4 after Lopez hit a cross-court forehand wide.
Murray was playing as well as he had done against Richard Gasquet in the previous round. His game was faultless and it seemed, at this stage, a matter of time before he could book his place in the semi-finals such was his dominance.
Lopez then called the physio for what seemed a minimal injury to his leg, but it seemed to coincide with a slight improvement in his performance.
The third set started in a similar fashion to the others. When Lopez had half a chance on the Scot’s serve, Murray seemed to up his game and was firing down winners from all angles.
Lopez was made to pay with these missed opportunities as Murray went a break up to make it 3-2. Two excellent passing shots at 30-30 gave him the decisive break which ended any hope the Spaniard had of upsetting the home favourite.
Despite carrying an injury towards the end, and suffering two break points, the British number one had no problems in serving it out as he took the match 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
Elsewhere, six times champion Roger Federer was upset by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in five sets. The Swiss won the first two sets but still managed to lose after a great comeback from Tsonga 3-6, 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. He will now play Novak Djokovic in a repeat of the 2008 Australian Open final. Rafael Nadal, too, made it to the semi-finals after winning in four sets against American Mardy Fish.
