Andy Murray vs Stan Wawrinka, French Open semi-final live as it happened: World No 1 beaten in five sets
Re-live all the action from the Roland Garros semi-final
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Your support makes all the difference.Andy Murray headed to Paris for the French Open in poor form and struggling with both injury and sickness.
But the World No 1 has dug deep at Roland Garros, grinding out victories over the likes of Juan Martin del Potro and Kei Nishikori to reach his fourth French Open semi-final in as many years.
He’ll now play Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka for a place in the final who, unlike Murray, has actually won the tournament, back in 2015.
Murray edges the head to head record, but third seed Wawrinka is yet to drop a set in Paris this year and looked in formidable form in his straight-sets quarter-final win over 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic.
Follow Murray's match live:
When is it?
Today! Murray will take on Wawrinka for a place in the final of the French Open at 11.45BST. (Providing it doesn’t rain.)
Where can I watch it?
You have a choice – both British Eurosport and ITV4 will be screening the match. And obviously make sure you come back to this match to follow our game by game commentary and analysis.
What’s the head to head record like?
Murray has won 10 of their previous meetings; Wawrinka seven. They’ve played against one another on clay three times, with Wawrinka winning two of those matches. But Murray won their only previous match at Roland Garros, when they met in the semi-finals last year.
What are they saying?
Murray: “When we played last year, it was a similar situation coming in. I think Stan had played really well.
“I had struggled in some of my matches during the event last year, but I played one of my best clay-court matches that day to get the win. I need to do the same again.
“He's obviously played extremely well the last few years at the French, and he's confident. It's going to be very tough.
“But I can learn some things from last year. I'm sure he will, as well, and will try to change some things. It should be an interesting match.”
Wawrinka: “I think he's probably a bit less confident. He's a bit more hesitant. Hopefully I can take advantage of that and find solutions to beat him.
“When you have a lot of wins behind you and confidence with your game, you can go for more. That's what he did last year, for sure.
“I expect him to try to do the same because that's always how he is trying to play against me, to be aggressive.
“But I think I will answer with my game. I think I'm playing better than last year, also. It can be only a big challenge and hopefully a good match.”
How did they get here?
Andy Murray:
First Round - def. Andrey Kuznetsov, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, 6-0.
Second Round - def. Martin Klizan, 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (3).
Third Round - def. Juan Martin del Potro (29), 7-6 (8), 7-5, 6-0.
Fourth Round - def. Karen Khachanov, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
Quarter-final - def. Kei Nishikori (8), 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (0), 6-2
Stan Wawrinka:
First Round - def. Jozef Kovalik, 6-2, 7-6 (6), 6-3
Second Round - def. Alexandr Dolgopolov, 6-4, 7-6 (5), 7-5
Third Round - def. Fabio Fognini (28), 7-6 (2), 6-0, 6-2
Fourth Round - def. Gael Monfils (15), 7-5, 7-6 (7), 6-2
Quarter-final - def. Marin Cilic (7), 6-3, 6-3, 6-1
Further reading
What are the odds?
Murray to win: 11/8
Wawrinka to win: 3/4
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Andy Murray's French Open semi-final against Stan Wawrinka.
The match is scheduled to start at 11.45BST and we'll begin bringing you all of the build-up shortly before then.
Murray arrived in Paris having endured a miserable clay court season, with underwhelming losses in Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome.
Many speculated that Murray's heroic end of season run last year, which saw him end up as the World No 1, may have contributed to Murray's struggles at the start of this year. But his coach, Ivan Lendl, thinks the exact opposite:
After a week of rain...
It's looking like a pretty beautiful day in Paris.
Murray had an hour of practice time booked on Chatrier this morning...
But Eurosport have just reported that, after less than half an hour focusing almost exclusively on his forehand, Murray aborted his practice and disappeared off court.
Here they come...
Wawrinka walks out first, clad in a blue shirt with white shorts. No repeat of the horrific fluorescent yellow stash he donned last year.
And here's Murray, emerging on Court Philippe Chatrier to a huge cheer. He's decked out in his standard white and navy. Yawn.
Here we go! It's just a shade under 20° with little chance of rain. The court will likely play hard and fast which you think would benefit Wawrinka and that thunderous forehand more than Murray.
Murray* 0-1 Wawrinka (*Denotes next server)
Not a bad way to start! Wawrinka steps up and slams an ace past Murray. And then our first sight of that ridiculous backhand. Murray comes to the net on the next point only for Stan to belt a cross-court winner past him, and when Murray dumps his backhand into the net on the next point, Wawrinka holds to love.
Murray 1-1 Wawrinka*
A big rally to get Murray’s service game underway. The World No 1’s defence looks good, as Wawrinka pushes him wide with two big cross-court back hands, but Murray then messes up his sliced backhand return to hand the Swiss the point. Buoyed, Wawrinka goes big on the next point, crushing a forehand down the line but it’s slightly wide. 15-all.
And then Wawrinka sends his next shot long. Already the pattern of this match has been set, Wawrinka dictating things from beyond the baseline, Murray scampering around firmly on the defensive. Both men have started well: Wawrinka belts another one long and then Murray wrongfoots him with a fine forehand to hold.
Murray* 1-2 Wawrinka
Wawrinka is serving very well. Murray somehow scrapes a return back over the net but, in a flash, Stan is at the net and he wins the point with an emphatic volley. He should win the next point, too, when Murray moonballs his return from the back of the court, but he snatches at the volley. Wide. A chance of a break for Murray? But Wawrinka takes the next point with a crushing cross-court forehand. 30-all.
What a point! Wawrinka in control of the rally until Murray hits a sublime cross-court shot which forces his opponent deep and wide. Wawrinka returns, but Murray finishes him off with a very cute drop shot. Break point for Murray … but Wawrinka charges his serve and wins the point with a volley at the net (at the third time of asking).
Wawrinka gets to advantage with a big unreturnable serve. And then holds with a big forehand which even Murray can’t scamper back and return. What a start!
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