Murray beaten by Raonic in Japan shock

TOKYO: London Olympic gold medallist and US Open champion Andy Murray was sent crashing out of the Japan Open tennis tournament on Saturday in a shock semi-final defeat by Milos Raonic of Canada.

In the final set the Briton squandered a 4-1 lead and missed two match points in the 12th game before going down 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (4/7) to the 21-year-old Canadian.

In the final on Sunday, Raonic will play local favourite Kei Nishikori, who defeated Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus 6-2, 6-2.

Raonic, seeking his sixth ATP final, got off to a flying start to break the opening game before adding another break in the ninth to take the set.

Neither had a break opportunity in the second set and there were no mini-break in the tie-breaker until Raonic failed to hit a forehand on Murray's set point at 6-5.

In the final set, Raonic double-faulted to give a break point to Murray, who fired a sizzling back-handed passing shot down the line to move up to 3-1 and then 4-1, but he went 15-40 down in the seventh game that Raonic cashed in.

Raonic again double-faulted twice to give Murray two match points in the 12th game at 30-40 and on Muray's advantage point.

The Canadian hit an easy smash winner at the net to save the first and then his strong forehand forced Murray to hit a back-handed shot long.

Raonic also missed his match point at 6-3 on a double fault in the tie-breaker, but Murray's forehand shot went long on the following point. (AFP)