• Rome Masters

Fitful Murray battles past Mayer in Rome

Andy Murray produced a mixed display on serve © Getty Images

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Rome Masters Seedings

Andy Murray overcame an awful passage of play in the first set to claim his place in the semi-finals of the Rome Masters with a 1-6 6-1 6-1 win over Florian Mayer.

It was the first time Murray had met Mayer but the Brit could not use the element of surprise as an excuse for his play in the first set. But he dug himself out of the hole he had created with some sublime play in the second set. Mayer was a deflated player in the third, as Murray produced a string of winners to move into the last four.

Murray made a poor start, firing a smash into the net to hand Mayer a break point and the German converted. The Brit attempted to hit back in the fourth game and he set up a break point with a booming forehand down the line, but failed to convert as Mayer held.

Mayer took great confidence from fending off the threat of Murray by setting up a break point with a backhand winner he had no right to make. And the German converted to take a double-break at 4-1.

Murray worked a couple of points for an immediate break back chance, but twice Mayer found swinging serves out wide that staved off the threat and he capped a stunning set when Murray threw a smash into the net to be broken for the third time as Mayer cruised through the opening set.

The British No. 1 is never one to do things easily and as bad as he was in the first set, he was good in the second. He roared out to secure an immediate break, only to allow Mayer to hit back. However, unlike in the first set Murray kept his composure and he hit back to break again.

Mayer's movement was not as good as in the first set and unforced errors also flew off his racket, nine in all in the second, as Murray took control from the back of the court to level the match.

Murray came out with authority at the start of the third set and extended his run of games to seven when breaking Mayer to lead 2-0. The Scot's movement was excellent as he raced into the corner to the power a forehand winner and then forced Mayer to net a volley to secure the break.

He backed up the break in style, driving a glorious backhand down the line and producing his first ace of the match.

Overheads were a problem throughout the match and he netted another simple smash, but the frustration did not stop him as he produced winners on both wings to ease home and set up a likely meeting with Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.

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