Sunday 3 May 2015 09:59, UK
Andy Murray remained on course for a first career clay-court title after battling back from a set down to beat Czech Lukas Rosol 4-6 6-3 6-2 in a bad-tempered affair and reach the semi-finals of the Munich Open on Saturday morning.
Tempers frayed after Rosol bumped into Murray as they walked past each other during a change of ends in the early-morning encounter which brought complaints from the Scot and an intervention by the ATP supervisor Gerry Armstrong.
Murray's response was caught by the on-court microphones and was clearly audible as he blasted: "No one likes you on the tour. Everyone hates you."
Murray later accused world No 41 Rosol of deliberately charging into him.
"He walked straight into me for no reason. If I walked into someone for no reason I would say sorry. But he did it and then ran to the other end," said Murray.
"His fitness trainer later apologised. I should not have said what I did but if someone does that and you don't respond you let them dictate how the match goes.
"I was told by my father that if you get pushed around then you stick up for yourself."
"I have had no problems with him before, but a lot of players say he does those sort of things. It's just silly," added Murray. It gives more motivation and I told him that in the locker room."
The world No 3 advanced to play in-form Spaniard Roberto Agut, who also initially struggled against Dominican Victor Burgos before winning 4-6 6-0 6-0, after rain washed out play on Friday.
With new coach Jonas Bjorkman watching in the stands, Murray forged an early break to race into a 4-1 lead but soon found himself struggling with the Czech's thundering groundstrokes that pinned him to the back of the court.
Rosol, who is best known for knocking out Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon in 2012, grew in confidence and reeled off five consecutive games to clinch the first set on his fourth opportunity as the sun briefly broke through the leaden Munich sky.
No one likes you on the tour. Everyone hates you.
In a repeat of the opening set, Murray again raced to a 4-1 lead but this time remained composed to level the match.
The former Wimbledon champion left the Czech no chance in the third set, powering to a 5-1 advantage and sealing his semi-finals berth on the first match point.
Murray, playing for the first time since his marriage, will seek his second head-to-head victory over Bautista Agut in the semis, having previously triumphed in straight sets in the Wimbledon third round last year.
The Spaniard is in search of his second clay-court title, having won his maiden tour-level title on German soil in Stuttgart in 2014.
Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber beat Belgium's David Goffin 2-6 6-3 6-4 while Gerald Melzer overcame Dominic Thiem in an all-Austrian quarter-final 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 6-3.
