• Australian Open

Murray outsmarts Berdych to reach Australian Open final

All the attention ahead of the first of the men's Australian Open semi-finals was on Dani Vallverdu - the coach fired by Andy Murray in November and consequently picked up by opponent Tomas Berdych.

Asked ahead of the match if he is concerned that Berdych has the advantage with Murray's former ally by his side, the British No.1 was in a typically droll mood: "I also know what Dani thinks of Berdych's game because he's told me, so it works both ways."

Murray defends fiancée Sears after outburst

Kim Sears was her usual mix of emotions © Getty Images

• Andy Murray leapt to the defence of fiancée Kim Sears after television cameras caught her directing some choice language toward's Tomas Berdych's team.
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If Murray was building on his prior knowledge of Berdych, it didn't always feel that way, but the British No.1 dug deep to see out a 6-7(6) 6-0 6-3 7-5 victory and reach his fourth final at Melbourne Park.

After the match it was a change of tone from Murray.

"A lot was made of my split from Dani," he said. "We were friends for many years - we still are - and there's more to life than sport. I felt that was really unfair and created needless tensions."

Berdych certainly had little interest in diffusing the situation. A pulsating opening set on the tie-break which went past the hour and a quarter mark ended with a stare-down between the pair as they crossed at the net. Murray diverted his gaze to Berdych's box. The first moment of weakness.

The first set was not without it's X-rated moments. Several times Murray launched a foul-mouthed tirade on himself, while it even spread to the stands as fiancée Kim Sears was caught on camera offering a few choice words toward Berdych's team.

But as much as he seemed to dislike it, Murray basked in the tension. And from a 76-minute first set, came a 30-minute second as Murray rampaged to a bagel - the first between the pair in their 11 meetings.

Tomas Berdych had no answer to Murray's precision shot-making © Getty Images

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Murray turned the screw and it showed in the third, as he used his expert slice to full affect to frustrate Berdych, who simply had no answer.

Seemingly dead and buried, Berdych dug deep in the fourth but Murray, the more athletic of the pair, suckered the Czech into long, drawn-out rallies, throwing him all over Rod Laver Arena.

Berdych, with a second wind, looked momentarily like maybe he was in it for the long haul, but he ran out of steam at 5-5 - handing Murray two break points with a double fault. Murray didn't need asking twice.

Murray now faces a 24-hour wait to see who he will face on Sunday, with world No.1 Novak Djokovic taking on defending champion Stan Wawrinka in Friday's second semi-final.

With his confidence sky-high, Murray will fancy Australian Open final revenge over Djokovic - who is 2-0 on the Briton in Melbourne finals to date.

Murray had to beat two men in the semi-finals on Thursday - and his opponent in the final will be the one feeling like they have it all to do.

Murray gestured to Amelie Mauresmo after sealing victory - 'I got a lot of stick for hiring a female coach,' he said © Getty Images

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Alex Perry is assistant editor of ESPN.co.uk | @AlexPerryESPN

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