Wimbledon 2011: Andy Murray makes short work of Feliciano Lpez
No4 seed wins 6-3, 6-4, 6-4
Scot will play winner of Rafael Nadal in semi-final
Andy Murray reached the Wimbledon semi-finals for the third successive year with a routine 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory over the unseeded Spaniard Feliciano Lpez.
The first two sets were as comfortable as the No4 seed could possibly have expected at this stage, with Murray playing very well but receiving a significant amount of help from his opponent.
The Scot wrapped up the first set comfortably, piling the pressure on Lopez and taking the set 6-3. Lpez is a talented player on grass and making his third appearance in the Wimbledon quarter-finals and he had been hugely impressive in a straight-sets win over Andy Roddick in the third round, but few were predicting another upset here.
The only surprise was that it took Murray until the sixth game to engineer a break point. And then he needed three before he did finally move ahead, Lpez netting an attempted drop shot. The Scot was on cruise control, and he could even afford to miss three set points in Lpez's next service game before clinching it on his fifth chance when his spanked a forehand into the net.
Murray remained totally focused and a superb passing shot brought up another break point in the third game of the second set but Lpez, who has served more aces in the tournament than anyone else, quickly shut the door. The Spaniard was bound to be feeling the effects of a lengthy five-set match against Lukasz Kubot in round four, where he had fought back from two sets down, and his right thigh was heavily taped up.
A forehand volley dumped into the net gave Murray a break for 3-2, and from there he was utterly untroubled, clinching the set 6-4 courtesy of yet another unforced error from Lpez
The Spaniard finally made a game of it in the third set, forcing his first deuce and then his only break points, but the Scot held firm to stay on course for a first grand slam title. Murray had lost only eight points on his serve in t! he first two sets, and never more than two in a single game, but there were signs at the start of the third that things might be changing.
Lpez took his opponent to deuce for the first time in game three, finally stringing a series of good shots together, but his revival was quickly curtailed by another Murray break. It took the 24-year-old at his best, with a forehand winner down the line followed by a stunning pass on the run.
Murray held to make it 4-2 without too many problems, but he began to grimace and struggle a little with his movement. He did not summon the trainer but in the eighth game he found himself facing his first break points of the match. Lpez, though, could not take advantage, and three successive aces helped Murray wrap up a simple victory.
Murray will face Rafael Nadal for a place in the final
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