Melbourne: World number two Andy Murray outstayed Spain’s David Ferrer in four tough sets to advance to the semi-finals at the Australian Open on Wednesday.

The four-time runner-up finished the stronger, beating the eighth-seeded Ferrer 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-3 and will play Milos Raonic or Gael Monfils in Friday’s semi-final.

Asked on court about the key moment in the match, the roof closure midway through the third set, Murray said: ‘I grew up playing indoors, I learned to play in Scotland... It made it a little easier to return, that helped me a little bit’, reported the Guardian.

Adding, ‘It was good to have a break because we played some brutal rallies.

It was a brutal match with long rallies in the Melbourne sun perpetuated by Ferrer and his ability to hunt almost everything down that Murray could throw at him. The Spaniard wilted under the roof though and as Murray asserted himself Ferrer couldn’t find another gear.