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TENNIS
Novak Djokovic

Murray, Djokovic, Federer reach Shanghai semifinals

AP
Novak Djokovic dispatched Tommy Haas Friday in the quarterfinals and will next play Tomas Berdych in the semifinals.
  • Two-time defending champion Andy Murray is back in the Shanghai semifinals
  • Novak Djokovic also won, ousting Tommy Haas
  • Murray will face top-seeded Roger Federer

SHANGHAI (AP) β€” Two-time defending champion Andy Murray grabbed a spot in the Shanghai Masters semifinals by rallying to beat Radek Stepanek 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 on Friday.

Murray, who improved to 11-0 in Shanghai, will play top-seeded Roger Federer, who defeated Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-4.

Novak Djokovic also advanced, beating unseeded Tommy Haas of Germany 6-3, 6-3. The second-seeded Serb will next face Tomas Berdych, who beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 7-6 (7-4).

Stepanek dominated the first set and never offered third-seeded Murray an opportunity to break serve. The Czech posted 10 winners to only three for Murray.

Murray rebounded in the second set, breaking serve to go ahead 4-2. Stepanek had two opportunities to retrieve the service break from Murray in the seventh game, but Murray held onto his lead.

Stepanek saved two set points on his serve in the eighth game but netted a forehand on the third set point to concede the second set.

In the third, 41st-ranked Stepanek was up 2-1 with a break and had a point for 3-1, but Murray broke to even the score. From 40-30 for Stepanek in that fourth game, Murray won 21 of the next 26 points to win the match.

Berdych, the fourth seed, had an ace against Tsonga on match point.

"I think it was a really solid game and solid performance from the beginning until the end," Berdych said. "I was feeling quite well on the court.

"The biggest difference between me and Jo was I was able to take the small chances during even the first, and especially the second set."

Tsonga's only two wobbles cost him. He had a shaky eighth service game in the first set and surrendered his serve at love. The second-set tiebreaker was on course to 4-4 until Tsonga double-faulted. Two points later, Berdych aced the final point.

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