Intro:

Andy Murray will face Tomas Berdych in the semi-finals of the Australian Open after beating crowd favourite Nick Kyrgios in straight sets on Tuesday (27th January).

Script:

As the first Australian men's player to reach the last eight of his home Grand Slam since 2005, Nick Kyrgios carried the hopes of a nation when he faced Andy Murray in the second men's semi-final of the Australian Open.

But Kyrgios slipped up in the sixth game of the first set, with Murray forcing a break to lead 4-2 before serving it out, 6-3.

Cheered on by the partisan crowd, Kyrgios held his own throughout the second set. It went to a tie break and the Australian fought back from 2-0 down to lead 4-3.

Murray reasserted his control however, and went on to take the tiebreaker 7-5, pulling off a brilliant backhand lob at set point as Kyrgios attacked the net.

Sixth seeded Murray edged ahead in the third set with a break in the sixth game.

The 19-year-old had fought back from two sets down and saved a match point in his fourth round meeting with Andreas Seppi, but there would be no dramatic comeback this time around.

Murray got the better of the world number 53's serve before closing out a 6-3, 7-6 , 6-3 victory.

Murray has reached the Australian Open final three times. In this year's semi he will play Czech, Tomas Berdych.