Andy Murray Battles Slow Start To Make 2015 Miami Open Semifinals

andy murray slow start beats dominic thiem for 2015 miami open masters

andy murray slow start beats dominic thiem for 2015 miami open masters

Andy Murray might have just made British history after earning his 500th career victory over Kevin Anderson, but he struggled through a slow start against Dominic Thiem to make it to the 2015 Miami Open Masters semifinals. He’s the first player of the tour to make it there.

Andy Murray fought back from a set down to reach the semi-finals of the Miami Open with victory over Dominic Thiem.

The third seed lost the opening set to Austria’s world number 36 Thiem, but rallied to secure a 3-6 6-4 6-1 win.

Murray, 27, will face Czech Tomas Berdych or Argentina’s Juan Monaco in the last four of the tournament.

Murray had reached the quarter-final with Thiem after a landmark 500th career victory over Kevin Anderson in the last eight.

However, the Scot made a sluggish start in his first meeting with 21-year-old Thiem and dropped the first set.

dominic thiem gives hard ball to andy murray at 2015 miami open masters

In the second, Murray capitalized on a couple of unforced errors after Thiem had battled back from 3-0 down to level at 4-4 to close out the set.

The 2013 Wimbledon champion saw out the match in emphatic fashion as he dropped just one game to secure his place in the last four.

Murray said his returning let him down early in the match before he pushed Thiem “back off the baseline” in the third set.

He told Sky Sports: “I was getting myself into break point positions and it is a fine line between going for winners and trying to finish the point and making your opponent play.

“Being a good match player is understanding when to go for your shots and when to back off a little bit.”

Two-time former champion Andy Murray is one match win away from reaching the final of the Miami Open presented by Itau for the fourth time.

The third seed defeated Dominic Thiem on Wednesday for a place in the semi-finals. The 2009 and 2013 titlist will next challenge eighth seed Tomas Berdych or Juan Monaco.

Murray became the first Briton to record 500 match wins in the Open Era (since 1968) with his victory over Kevin Anderson in the fourth round. Read Tribute

Thiem, now 1-7 lifetime against Top 10 opponents in the Emirates ATP Rankings, beat 10th seed Feliciano Lopez in the second round at Crandon Park.