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| Murray fights back to beat Mirnyi | Murray fights back to beat Mirnyi |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A below-par Andy Murray showed his battling qualities as he overcame Max Mirnyi 2-6 6-2 6-2 to reach the last four of the Qatar Open on Thursday. | A below-par Andy Murray showed his battling qualities as he overcame Max Mirnyi 2-6 6-2 6-2 to reach the last four of the Qatar Open on Thursday. |
| Murray has been suffering with a cold and also looked to have a back problem as Mirnyi raced to the opening set. | Murray has been suffering with a cold and also looked to have a back problem as Mirnyi raced to the opening set. |
| An irritable Murray then slipped a break down at the start of the second but somehow found his top form to dominate the rest of the match. | An irritable Murray then slipped a break down at the start of the second but somehow found his top form to dominate the rest of the match. |
| Murray will next play top seed Nikolay Davydenko, who beat Olivier Rochus. | Murray will next play top seed Nikolay Davydenko, who beat Olivier Rochus. |
| "It was a slow start for me," said Murray. "The conditions were relatively better today, still it was pretty cold out there. | "It was a slow start for me," said Murray. "The conditions were relatively better today, still it was pretty cold out there. |
| "The cold weather is giving me some pain in my muscles but I have to stay alert." | "The cold weather is giving me some pain in my muscles but I have to stay alert." |
| Murray plays like a rocket from the baseline - it's important for me to keep fully fit Nikolay Davydenko | Murray plays like a rocket from the baseline - it's important for me to keep fully fit Nikolay Davydenko |
| Having felt under the weather all week, the last thing Murray needed was to see doubles specialist Mirnyi blitzing the net at every opportunity from the word go. | Having felt under the weather all week, the last thing Murray needed was to see doubles specialist Mirnyi blitzing the net at every opportunity from the word go. |
| The Belarusian started in great form and thoroughly deserved a 6-2 score line in the first set, as well as an early break in the second. | The Belarusian started in great form and thoroughly deserved a 6-2 score line in the first set, as well as an early break in the second. |
| But with defeat looming Murray finally found his range, showing the gap in class when both men were playing well by firing a succession of passing and return winners. | But with defeat looming Murray finally found his range, showing the gap in class when both men were playing well by firing a succession of passing and return winners. |
| The 19-year-old came through a scare in game seven of the final set, recovering from 0-40 and saving four break points to hold. | The 19-year-old came through a scare in game seven of the final set, recovering from 0-40 and saving four break points to hold. |
| 606 COMMENT: Give your thoughts on Murray's victory | 606 COMMENT: Give your thoughts on Murray's victory |
| And Murray then wrapped up the win with his best game of the match, breaking to love and sealing victory with a fizzing pass down the line. | And Murray then wrapped up the win with his best game of the match, breaking to love and sealing victory with a fizzing pass down the line. |
| Asked about Murray, Davydenko, who beat Rochus 6-4 6-3, replied: "He plays like a rocket from the baseline - it's important for me to keep fully fit. | Asked about Murray, Davydenko, who beat Rochus 6-4 6-3, replied: "He plays like a rocket from the baseline - it's important for me to keep fully fit. |
| "The cold weather is giving me some pain in my muscles, but I have to stay alert." | "The cold weather is giving me some pain in my muscles, but I have to stay alert." |
| Second seed Ivan Ljubicic will face Robin Soderling in the other semi on Friday. | Second seed Ivan Ljubicic will face Robin Soderling in the other semi on Friday. |
| Ljubicic came through a titanic struggle against fifth seed Mikhail Youzhny before eventually prevailing 2-6 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (7-3). | Ljubicic came through a titanic struggle against fifth seed Mikhail Youzhny before eventually prevailing 2-6 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (7-3). |
| "I'm still not happy with my serves, but today's match was not all about serves," said Ljubicic. "We played great tennis. | "I'm still not happy with my serves, but today's match was not all about serves," said Ljubicic. "We played great tennis. |
| "I was feeling physically better, so I was able to engage him in prolonged rallies." | "I was feeling physically better, so I was able to engage him in prolonged rallies." |
| Sweden's Soderling was very impressive in a 6-3 6-2 win over Marcos Baghdatis. | Sweden's Soderling was very impressive in a 6-3 6-2 win over Marcos Baghdatis. |