Andy Murray reached the ATP Paris Masters semifinals for the first time on Friday, but it needed a marathon effort to see off the last remaining Frenchman, Richard Gasquet.
The second seed, who had dropped just four games in reaching the last eight, was kept hard at it for two hours and 38 minutes before edging into the semis 7-6(9), 3-6, 6-3.
Five times previously Murray had fallen in the quarterfinals of the ATP’s regular season finale and he will now play either John Isner or David Ferrer for a place in Sunday’s final.
“I think I got the break back immediately in the third set and that was big, because he was playing the better tennis,” Murray told Sky Sports.
Spaniard Rafael Nadal was a point away from defeat against big-serving Kevin Anderson, but came alive late in the second set to score a 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-2 victory in the ATP Paris Masters to secure a quarterfinal berth.
The results: Quarterfinals: Andy Murray bt Richard Gasquet 7-6(9), 3-6, 6-3.
Third round: Tomas Berdych bt Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 6-4; Stan Wawrinka bt Viktor Troicki 6-4, 7-5; Rafael Nadal bt Kevin Anderson 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-2; David Ferrer bt Grigor Dimitrov 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-4. — Agencies
