Tomas Berdych v Andy Murray, Australian Open 2015 semi-final: Where to watch live, preview and betting odds

Tomas Berdych takes on Andy Murray in the Australian Open semi-final in Melbourne.

Where to watch

Berdych v Murray is live on BBC 2 HD, British Eurosport HD and BBC Radio Five Live Sports Extra from 8.30am on Thursday 29 January.

Preview

With Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal having been knocked out earlier in the draw, the prospect of Berdych v Murray may not be the stellar contest many expected in the first semi-final of the opening major of 2015, but the clash promises to be no less entertaining.

Berdych continues to overcome what many perceive to be limited playing style and battle against the odds against some of the most capable players in the sport. The Czech has not dropped a set on his route to the last four, seeing off Aussie Bernard Tomic and Nadal in clinical fashion.

Though Murray has spent 96 minutes longer across the previous five rounds in Melbourne, the Brit comes into his 15th grand slam semi-final as a marginal favourite to reach the final on Sunday 1 February. The 26-year-old's performances during the past 10 days have been among the best of his career and he is a genuine contender to win a third major this week.

The match has been handed a tinge of extra spice given Murray's former hitting partner, Dani Vallverdu, who split with the British number one in November, is in Berdych's camp and has been influential in his run to a first slam semi-final since 2012.

As far as the head-to-head record between the two players goes, Berdych holds the upper hand but the two players are locked as three wins each on hard courts, with Murray winning two of the last three including their only major semi-final meeting at the US Open.

What they said

Tomas Berdych: "Definitely it might be an advantage for us, but that's how it is. And what is more important is, again, to be prepared for that match, to be ready, to set up the plan, and try to execute them on the court. Really the preparation is exactly the same like for all my past opponents so far here. I'm not going to change anything else with that. Just try to focus on my things and keep going for it."

Andy Murray: "I've always said to people that, you know, watching is one thing and seeing someone's game, but when you actually get on the court with them things are actually a lot different. It seems like you might be able to attack certain areas of someone's game or something that they do might look really good, but what matters is when you're on the court can you exploit those things, that weakness.

"That weakness, is it as weak as you think? It's completely different when you're out there on the court, in my opinion. Yeah, we'll see how the match plays out and what the tactics are and stuff. But, you know, I also know what Dani thinks of Berdych's game because he's told me, so it works both ways."

Betting odds (source: William Hill)

Tomas Berdych 7/5 v Andy Murray 8/11

Head-to-head record: Berdych 6-4 Murray. Last match Cincinnati Masters (Hard) Berdych bt Murray 6-3 6-4

Previous meetings at the Australian Open: N/A