Tomas Berdych has set up a semi-final meeting with Andy Murray after beating Juan Monaco 6-3 6-4 at the Miami Open.
Despite battling with problems on his usually dependable serve, the eighth seed won the crucial mini-battles throughout the match to end Monaco's hopes of claiming a surprise place in the last four.
After saving two break points in the first game of the match, Berdych appeared to begin to find his rhythm before breaking the Argentine's serve.
Monaco produced another trademark fighting display to stay in the longer rallies, but he wasted a good opportunity by being broken a game after getting back on serve in the first set.
Berdych held his nerve to take the opener, and both men improved in the second set with very few openings being offered as the rallies were kept short due to poor returning form from the two players.
It was Monaco who slipped up at the vital stage in the ninth game to hand his opponent the advantage, and Berdych capitalised by serving to love to keep alive his bid for a second title of 2015.
Callum Mulvihill
