Andy Murray has been gradually turning up the heat all week.

Murray faces his first real test of the week against the big hitting Fernando Verdasco. The Scot has been moving through the gears all week but has generally always looked far too strong for his three opponents so far and enjoyed a simple 6-4, 6-2 quarter-final win over Albert Montanes.

However he now faces a sharp step up against world number seven Verdasco who sent him crashing out of this year’s Australian Open in five sets. Murray has a superb record against Verdasco having beaten him six times out of seven but that loss in Melbourne was one of his most disappointing of the year and illustrated just how dangerous Verdasco can be on a hot streak. Just how dire Verdasco can be when not on form can be seen in his match against Murray a couple of months later in Miami. The Spaniard could barely land a ball in court for two sets and was crushed 6-1, 6-2.

Verdasco has been looking in fine fettle over the last couple of rounds in Valencia, beating dangerous opponents in Janko Tipsarevic and Tommy Robredo, with something to spare.

Murray said after his quarter-final win that his wrist is still giving him some pain and he’s mainly concentrating on getting ready for Paris next week but this one will have a little bit of extra spice with memories of that Melbourne loss still fresh.

Murray is a 4/9 favourite with Sky Bet but Verdasco is very good value at 7/4