Murray blitzes Berdych to make final in Melbourne

Andy Murray is through to his fourth Australian Open final after overcoming an early setback to wipe Czech opponent Tomas Berdych off the court with a 6-7 (6-8), 6-0, 6-3, 7-5 victory on Thursday night.

After Berdych caused the Scot an abundance of frustration in a fiery and combative first set, Murray responded to claim the final three with ease and set up a potential showdown with either Novak Djokovic or Stansilas Wawrinka in Sunday's final.

"I thought I played very, very well tonight and I'm very happy the way I played the match," Murray told reporters after his four-set victory.

In a first set that had just about everything, a frustrated Murray had looked nervous throughout. He found it difficult to hold serve in the early stages, but soon settled as the pair traded breaks to take the first to a tiebreak.

There, Berdych saved a set point, before powering his way into an early advantage by claiming the tiebreak 8-6.

A mini-confrontation between the pair in the midst of the resulting changeover forced the chair umpire to intervene. It also appeared to spark Murray into life.

The Scot broke three straight times, consolidating after each to take the second set emphatically and level the match.

Berdych hit just one winner in the second set as he recorded an embarrassing bagel, making 12 unforced errors. Midway through the third, he would soon regret yet more wasted opportunities.

The Czech had been 40-love up with the set on serve, before successive double faults enabled Murray back into the game. He took advantage, taking it to deuce before ultimately breaking and claiming the third set 6-3.

Into the fourth and Murray continued to hold the upper hand. While Berdych battled as the set remained on serve, with each passing game the stakes became higher.

Covering the court with unrivalled athleticism, Murray made sure he pounced on any error from his opponent. At a pivotal stage at 5-5 in the fourth set, he did just that, breaking the Czech after he double faulted and then made another lamentable unforced error.

Murray held in the subsequent game, ending the match and advancing through to the final with an ace to claim a 6-7 (6-8), 6-0, 6-3, 7-5 victory.

Speaking to reporters after the match, Murray described what changed after a disappointing first set.

"I thought at the beginning of the match, he started well and I was a little bit tentative at the beginning and also I was getting used to his ball, he hits the ball really hard and flat," Murray said.

"At the start, I felt like I was on the back foot a little bit, but by the end of the first set I started to come into it more and be more aggressive.

"In the second set, I just picked up from how I was playing at the end (of the first set). I felt like I could have won the first set. I had some chances, so I just needed to be more aggressive and I managed to run away with it."

Meanwhile, Berdych said he was unhappy to again fall at the semifinal stage of the Australian Open for the second time in consecutive years.

"I'm really not happy and not really in a good mood, I'm very disappointed to have lost this match," he said.

"It was a big match, but I just need to come back stronger and get myself better and that's it.

"The only difference was one bad set, the second set, that's it. I was trying to get chances and fight for it, but as I said, it wasn't good enough and I'm very disappointed today."

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