Murray Plays Berdych In First Aus Open Semi-Final

A place in the Australian Open men`s singles final looms for the winner of tomorrow morning`s clash between Tomas Berdych and Andy Murray (8:30). Either the triumphant Czech player or the successful Brit will face off against either Novak Djokovic or Stanislas Wawrinka in the long-awaited final round.

It is Murray who is the favourite for the tie, currently available at 8/13 with bet365. This is in spite of the fact that the Scot has been beaten six times by Berdych in ATP matches and has won just four. In contrast, however, the two men have played out six clashes on hard court surfaces and have won three a-piece. Interested parties can get thirteen-to-ten with the same bookmaker on Berdych stretching his overall lead over the Dunblaine-born star.

Of his three wins on hard, Murray has twice had to come from being a set down to claim victory. The 27-year-old lost the opening set in both the pair`s 2012 US Open semi-final and in the World Tour Finals round robin in the same year.

The world number six came from 5-7 down in the opener to record a four set victory (5-7, 6-2, 6-1, 7-6) over his rival at Flushing Meadows. The Scotsman would go on to take down Novak Djokovic (7-6, 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2) in this final to win his first Grand Slam of his career.

Berdych would fail to make it out of Group A at the World Tour Finals of the same year as he fell 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to the six foot three player.

Consequentially, punters can back Murray at 9/2 with both Betvictor and sportingbet to drop the first set but go on to progress. Indeed, 29-year-old Berdych has dropped sets to Murray twice in his three victories over him on hard court surfaces. These came in Adelaide back in 2006 (7-6, 4-6, 6-1) and in the 2011 Paris Masters where he lost the first set 6-4 but eventually grabbed the second by a tie-break and the third 6-4. As a result, 11/2 (Betvictor) is the best price on a win for the world number seven after losing the opener.

As there have only been two straight sets wins in all six of the matches the men have played, bet365 have 2/5 on the victor needing over 3.5 sets to surpass his rival. Seven-to-four (also bet365) says one of the players will make it to the final with a straight sets victory.

Such an occurrence wouldn`t be a surprise, however, with Berdych having progressed through all five Australian Open rounds this year without dropping a set. Similarly, Murray has recorded four straight sets victories in his five matches in the tournament, only needing four sets to see off the Bulgarian 10th seed, Grigor Dimitrov. Bet365 have a Murray straight sets win priced up at 11/4 whilst it`s 5/1 with the same bookmaker should you think that Berdych can continue his run of form.

Between the two of them, the men have fought out tie-breaks seven times since the commencement of the competition and bet365 have the best price of 4/9 on there being one at any time during tomorrow`s clash. There`s a price of 7/4 across the board on their not being one.

Out of the seven played, four of these tie-break situations have come in the second set, Coral are offering odds of 2/1 on there being another second set tie-break in the match-up tomorrow.

Murray has reached this stage of the competition by beating Yuki Bhambri, Marko Matosevic, Joao Sousa and Nick Kyrgios as well as the aforementioned Dimitrov.

Berdych has seen off Alejandro Falla, Jurgen Melzer, Viktor Troicki, Bernard Tomic and Rafael Nadal.

Go To bet365

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28/01/2015     © Frixo 2026