Andy Murray continued his pursuit of a second successive clay-court title by beating Milos Raonic in the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open tonight.
A single break in either set was enough for the British number one, victorious in Munich last week, to record a 6-4 7-5 win and move into the last four.
Raonic had to save a break point in the opening game, but neither player's serve was under threat again until Murray claimed a crucial break in game nine.
He closed out the first set at the third attempt and began the second with two imperious holds to retain his momentum.
The two-time Grand Slam champion offered Raonic break points in only one game of the match, and when the Canadian wasted four of them at 3-2 up in the second, his best chance to regain parity had passed him by.
Murray was more clinical as he broke the world number six to love in game 11 before serving out for victory.
Joe Fish
