Andy Murray eases past John Isner to reach semi-finals of Vienna Erste Bank Open

Britain's Andy Murray eased past American John Isner to reach the semi-finals of the Erste Bank Open in Vienna. The 29-year-old lost just four games en route to the next round, winning 6-1 6-3 in just 75 minutes.

Murray's one-sided victory was helped by Isner needing treatment for a blister on his right hand in the second set. The Brit subsequently confessed that Isner's injury made the match easier for him.
"It obviously helped me as from the back of the court he wasn't really generating much power with his forehand," Murray said, according to the BBC.

"I was then able to dictate most points from the back of the court. I think I returned pretty good, though. It was important to put him under a bit of pressure, especially from the beginning of the match."

The world number two is poised to face defending champion David Ferrer in the semi-finals, knowing that victory in Vienna will move him a significant step closer to his long-term ambition of topping the rankings by the end of 2016.

Indeed, Murray could overtake Novak Djokovic as the world number one with titles in Vienna and next week in Paris. In order to do that, however, the Serbian star would need to lose before the final in Paris.