Andy Murray to face Novak Djokovic in Dubai Championships semis

Murray at times struggled past Berdych in a rare win 6-3 7-5 in one hour and 51 minutes, while Djokovic overcame Janko Tipsarevic 6-1 7-6 to set up another semi with the world number four. Berdych has become a bogey player for the Scot - on the last three matches between the two stars Berdych has triumphed - but not here in the Dubai heat on Thursday. A dramatic final game to convert his seventh match point was required before Murray could see off the Czech Republic ace and stop the rot. In the other quarter-final Roger Federer, who has been crowned champion here four times before, beat Mikhail Youzhny 6-3 6-4. The Swiss legend will now face Juan Martin del Potro in the other semi-final, reports the BBC. Federer will not find del Petro in any mood to concede in his quest to reach another big final. The Argentine already has the 2009 US Open under his belt and made good work of beating a stubborn fourth-seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 (7-1) 6-2 in the last quarter-final. The Dubai Duty Free Championships has not been a happy hunting ground for world number four Murray but he won this match through forcing error upon error from Berdych, reports Sporting Life. Murray even admitted there were times when victory was made difficult for him: Tactically I was doing the right things, and then maybe got away from that a little bit, but I just hung in at the end. I fought and scrambled and did what I had to do to win.

The 24-year-old's only previous victory against Berdych was back in 2005.