Saturday 18 June 2016

Andy Murray beats Marin Cilic in Aegon Championship semi-final


Andy Murray will have the chance to win successive Queen’s titles after beating Marin Cilic in Saturday’s semi-finals.

The defending champion's 6-3 4-6 6-3 win means he will now advance into the Aegon Championship final where he will play Milos Raonic, who beat Bernard Tomic 6-4 6-4.

Murray has now won all three Queen's meetings against Cilic after previously claiming the 2013 final and profiting from a walk-over in 2011.

The British No 1 sent out an ominous warning by breaking at the second attempt before fending off four break points to maintain that lead throughout the opening set.

As Cilic's strength against the serve began to wane, Murray finished the first set with aplomb. He broke for a second time, not allowing Cilic a single point as he whipped a cross-court winner beyond him.

Cilic, a former US Open champion like Murray, threw the kitchen sink at the beginning of the second set but somehow couldn't break. At 1-1, Murray gritted his teeth and saved break point but he couldn't do so when Cilic rallied for a 4-3 lead.

The Croatian then held his own serve from 0-40 down and forced a deciding set, but Murray broke at the first time of asking after a brilliant winner from behind his own base-line.

He held that slim advantage for the duration, forcing Cilic to save match points on his own serve, before Murray booked a spot in the final with an ace.

Murray extended his head-to-head record to 11-2 over Cilic and will now vie for a fifth Queen's title.

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