Thursday 7 July 2016 06:52, UK
Andy Murray booked his place in the Wimbledon semi-finals with a see-saw five-set victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Wednesday.
Murray was in full control for the first two sets but Tsonga turned on the style to draw level at 2-2 before Murray clinched the match 7-6 (12-10) 6-1 3-6 4-6 6-1 in nearly four hours.
The British No 1 will play Tomas Berdych on Friday after he beat Lucas Pouille 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 6-2 in the other quarter-final.
The first four games on Centre Court went with serve before Murray got a vital break in the fifth, bringing up break point with a backhand cross-court winner before Tsonga tamely double-faulted.
Tsonga had a chance to immediately break back, but Murray salvaged the game with some dominant net play and a fierce serve after a lengthy advantage battle to open up a 4-2 lead.
The Frenchman regained momentum with a quick hold of serve and then broke back with a superb flicked single-handed backhand, restoring parity.
Tsonga won his third straight game for a 5-4 lead, clinching it with a ferocious second serve which Murray could only return into the net, but it was soon all square again after several stray shots from the number 12 seed.
The pair then both held to take the first set to a tie-break, which Murray won 12-10, taking the set point at the fourth time of asking.
The second set was a much more straightforward affair for Murray, who cruised through it in just 26 minutes.
The Scot won his first service game to love and then immediately broke serve, with Tsonga dragging a backhand well wide.
Tsonga continued to struggle as Murray again raced through his service game, an ace followed by an off-target cross-court forehand enough to make it 3-0 in set two. Murray proceeded to win the next two games, with his opponent struggling to get into the set after putting so much effort into the opening one.
A series of poor shots gifted Murray a second break and with the home favourite keeping up the pressure, the Frenchman fired two returns long before another wide as Murray claimed his seventh game on the bounce.
Tsonga finally broke the cycle when he picked out a winner to get on the board but despite Murray recording his first double fault of the match in the next game, an ace down the middle and an easy winner on the back of another tricky serve proved enough to secure the set for him.
The response, however, was strong, and a fizzing return from the Frenchman earned him a 3-1 lead in the third set after an exchange of service games.
Murray was desperate not to drop a set and berated himself for being aced twice when he had Tsonga under pressure.
The Frenchman's huge forehand was cutting through Murray's superb defences and, although the Scot saved a set point at 5-2 behind, a 132mph serve was enough for Tsonga to take it 6-3.
Some huge hitting saw the first five games of the fourth set go with serve before Murray seized on the second break point of the sixth game to edge into a 3-2 lead.
But Tsonga again summoned a superb response, breaking back to level the scores at 3-3 and surviving several break points to hold in the following game.
The Frenchman then produced some excellent tennis to break Murray and move into a position of real control in the fourth set.
Murray began to cut a frustrated figure, involving himself in a dispute with the umpire, and was powerless to prevent Tsonga from levelling the match.
He was in a more determined mood in the fifth set, however, winning the first game despite Tsonga having a break point and then shattering the Frenchman's serve in the second before again holding for a 3-0 lead.
Tsonga showed some resistance but played two loose shots at a crucial time and Murray again broke for 4-0, and although Tsonga briefly rallied to take a game off the Scotsman, the result was duly secured.
