Murray does it the hard way but reaches semi-final

ANDY MURRAY continues to live dangerously in pursuit of the medal he longs for, pulling back from the brink in the singles again last night. The 29 year-old Scot was forced right to the wire by American Steve Johnson before taking a sudden-death tiebreak 7-2 to beat the Californian world No 22 6-0, 4-6, 7-6. Defending champion Murray is now just one win from a guaranteed silver and was last night waiting for the winner of the match between Japan’s Kei Nishikori and Frenchman Gael Monfils to see who he will play in today’s semi-final. Murray was also involved in the mixed doubles quarter-final alongside Heather Watson after their late entry, and was due to face India’s Rohan Bopanna and Sania Mirza. As against Italy’s Fabio Fognini on Thursday, the tension of this event seemed to affect the world No 2’s game. Rain delayed the start of play for half an hour and Murray seemed keen to make up for lost time, immediately breaking Johnson’s serve and racing through the first set in just 26 minutes. For the second day in succession, however, he hit trouble. Johnson, 26, does not possess Fognini’s extravagant talent but his serve and backhand were combining effectively while Murray’s game, particularly his backhand, went off the boil. The American’s response after his first-set mauling had been very impressive and he made the first breakthrough in the seventh game of the decider with a Murrayesque lob. The British No 1 (below) was broken for 3-4 in the deciding set, before breaking straight back, and then had to save another break point to go into the tiebreak. Murray’s greater experience proved useful when the pressure was at its greatest. Murray was always ahead in the deciding tiebreak and wrapped the match up in two hours and 12 minutes. Meanwhile, Monica Puig will become the first female athlete from Puerto Rico to win an Olympic medal after beating Petra Kvitova 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 to reach the women’s singles final. The unseeded 22-year-old will now aim to make more history as her country’s first-ever gold medallist.