Federer began well, racing to 3-0 in the first set. Murray broke back in the fifth game when the Swiss maestro twice failed to pull of easy drop shots on the net. A double fault by Murray on break point in the 10th game sealed the set for the 13-time Grand Slam champion.

Federer struggled at the net and with his forehand shots in the second set, which was easily won by Murray, who then raced to a 4-1 lead in the third.

It was then that Federer turned on his magic. Suddenly, it looked like he could do no wrong. Some lethal serves and blistering returns saw him win the next four games in nine minutes.

Error-strewn

However, Murray held on to his serve in the 10th game and pushed the set into a tie-breaker, where several unforced errors from Federer gave him three match points at 6-3. The Swiss star saved all three, but two more unforced errors ensured the result in favour of the Scot.

Federer said: “It was quite a good start to the year, but I just could not pull through. Andy has been playing some very good tennis and he carried his form from the end of last year.”

In the other semi-final, Davydenko started in brilliant fashion by breaking Nadal in the first game without giving him any point. But Nadal regrouped within no time and completely dominated the Russian to take the first set 6-2.

In the second set, Davydenko broke Nadal in the first game again, but the reigning French and Wimbledon champion broke right back. Another break in the sixth game and it was all over for Davydenko.