Andy Murray put up stiff resistance against Rafael Nadal but it is the Spaniard who moves into the final of the French Open at Roland Garros.
World number one remains on course for sixth French Open title
Andy Murray put up stiff resistance against Rafael Nadal but it is the Spaniard who moves into the final of the French Open at Roland Garros.
The British number one raised his game against the finest ever player on clay but Nadal was simply too good, as he won 6-4 7-5 6-4 to reach his sixth final in seven years.
Murray threatened at times and broke Nadal on three occasions, but the world number one typically excelled on the big points to complete a straight sets win in three hours and 17 minutes.
The Scot had never beaten Nadal on clay and dropped his serve in the third game before failing to capitalise on three break points in the next.
And the fourth seed soon found himself 5-1 down despite not playing at all badly - Nadal was simply irresistible on a court he has made his own.
But things began to go Murray's way as he held serve to stop the rot and then retrieved one of the breaks. He even had two more break points to level at 5-5 but the Spaniard was having none of it this time, holding his serve to move a set up.
The swirling wind was a problem for the players once more and it was Murray who seemed more affected by it, mistiming shots at the most inopportune moments.
Stunning
At 2-2 he played his first really poor game of the match to hand the top seed a break, but he responded in kind when Nadal uncharacteristically served a double-fault on break point.
The Spaniard piled on the pressure again and, although Murray saved two break points, the first after defensive play his opponent would have been proud of, on the third Nadal played a series of stunning forehands to make it three breaks in a row.
Amazingly that became four when a brilliant cross-court backhand return from Murray, a shot he was using with great effect, was too good even for Nadal.
The Briton finally saved but Nadal then garnered three more break points at 5-5, crucially moving ahead again with a huge forehand before serving out to love.
The top seed, beaten just once in 45 matches in Paris, then broke immediately at the start of the third set to put Murray on the back foot and although he earned break points in each of Nadal's next three service games, he was unable to draw level.
Murray's last chance appeared to go in the eighth game, coming so close on three occasions to breaking back - Nadal once again rising to the challenge with some defence of epic proportions.
Murray then saved confidently to make Nadal serve out for the match, which he did - this time to love.
