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Australian Open: Andy Murray faces seventh seed Tomas Berdych in last four

Andy Murray in a practice session during day 10 of the 2015 Australian Open
Image: Andy Murray: Has won only four of his 10 meetings with Tomas Berdych

Andy Murray will attempt to reach his fourth Australian Open final when he faces Tomas Berdych in Melbourne on Thursday.

Berdych, who defeated Rafael Nadal in straight sets in the quarter-finals, has won six of his 10 meetings with Murray and the seventh seed has the inside track ahead of their latest match.

Berdych is coached by Murray's long-term friend and former assistant coach Dani Vallverdu who, along with fitness trainer Jez Green, left the Murray camp at the end of last season.

"It's a great opportunity for both of them," said Vallverdu. "I am very pleased for Andy and Tomas. It's where they belong. They have been around semi-finals and finals of slams for the last five years so it's nothing new. It was always going to happen and it's great it happened early.

"I actually had a feeling it would happen here. When I was flying back from the Czech Republic in December with Ross Hutchins and I told him 'You know they are going to play in the semi-finals in Australia'.

I am very pleased for Andy and Tomas. It's where they belong. They have been around semi-finals and finals of slams for the last five years so it's nothing new. It was always going to happen and it's great it happened early.
Dani Vallverdu

"If you had told me in the beginning of the tournament this was going to happen, I would have signed up for it, Tomas would have and Andy as well."

The most high-profile meeting between the players came in the 2012 US Open semi-final, where Murray came from a set down to win before claiming his first grand slam title.

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Berdych has yet to drop a set in Melbourne this year and ended a record-equalling 17-match losing streak to Nadal with a stunning 6-2 6-0 7-6 victory.

Vallverdu and Murray agree that it is to Berdych's advantage to have the 28-year-old Venezuelan in his corner, but Vallverdu knows one of Murray's great strengths is the ability to change tactics when things are going wrong.

"It can be a little bit of an advantage but everyone that knows tennis knows everyone's game," he added.

"Maybe I know a little bit more about him because I've known him for 15 years and I have watched him play millions of times.

"But Andy's strength is that he will adjust depending how the match is going; that's something Tomas knows as well. He knows what to do when things are not going well so even if I tell Tomas this is what he's going to do, he might change it in the match because that's why he has been so good throughout his career.

"Tomas needs to be ready for everything and just worry about doing things right on his side of the court and that will put him in a good position."

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