Andy Murray has suffered defeat at the French Open today by losing to Fernando Gonzalez in a blinding display of tennis from the Chilean who swept the Scot aside 6-3, 3-6, 6-0, 6-4.
Gonzalez's lethal combination of awesome strength, confidence and choice of shot was simply too much for Andy Murray, who never looked as if he had the quarter-final confidence to progress.
The first set showcased Gonzalez's powerful forehand, that often drove Murray back and forth across the baseline as he tried unsuccessfully to chase after the ball. Murray’s power shots looked very average in contrast.
Murray and Gonzalez looked sedated in the French late afternoon heat, but where Gonzalez looked tired, Murray was looking exhausted. Gonzalez's shot selection was the highlight of his match, picking out drop shots, passing backhands, lobs and stunningly confident winners as if he were in an exhibition match.
Murray came back somewha to grab the second set, and Gonzalez switched off for a while and the pace dropped, but the third set was all Gonzalez. The world number 12 stormed through the set, taking all six games. Murray was left stunned.
As the fourth set began the world number three was looking beaten. His shots were easily within reach and his error frequency was increasing. On the other side of the court Gonzalez was hitting winner after winner.
Gonzalez finished off the game with 3 match points and will now face Robin Soderling, who beat Rafeal Nadal, in his first ever French Open semi-final.
