ATP: Murray reaches semis in Cincinnati with Tomic win

After securing his 600th career win against Kevin Anderson, Andy Murray booked his passage to the Western and Southern Open semi-final, defeating Bernard Tomic 6-4 6-4 in Cincinnati on Friday.

The world number two extended his career-best unbeaten streak to 21 games with the victory over the Australian, and remains on course for a third title at the ATP 1000 event.

Murray will now meet Milos Raonic in the final four, a rematch of the Wimbledon decider, won by the former in July.

Straight from winning gold medal at Rio 2016, Murray looked in considerable pain from the opening game, after stretching to his backhand for a flat Tomic ball, moving stiffly between and even during points.

Tomic looked to exploit Murray's back pain, moving the ball from side to side at every opportunity, but failed with the Scot's ability to penetrate from defensive strokes.

Murray secured the break in the fifth game before going on to claim the first set, having fended off a pair of break-point opportunities.

While Tomic was no pushover, making Murray earn his service games in the second set, it ultimately mattered little as the top seed acquired the deciding break to love in the ninth game of the second.

With the win, Murray maintained his unbeaten head-to-head record against the world number 21, now at 5-0.