2013 Tennis Miami

Miami, U.S.A.

Two-time former champion Andy Murray is one match win away from reaching the final of the Miami Open presented by Itau for the fourth time.

The third seed defeated 21-year-old Dominic Thiem 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 on Wednesday for a place in the semi-finals. The 2009 and 2013 titlist will next challenge eighth seed Tomas Berdych.

While Thiem raced out to an early lead in the match, breaking Murray on his lone chance in the first set, the Scot was quick to regain the momentum. He lost just three points on his serve in the final set to clinch the contest in one hour and 44 minutes. The 27 year old holds a 26-7 record at Crandon Park, where he trains for up to three months of the year.

"I expected a tough match, " Murray said. "He's beaten some very good players this week already... When you let him dictate the points, he hits the ball as hard off each side as anyone.

Watch Murray Hot Shot

"I think in the third set the difference was really my returning. I returned his first serve extremely well. I put him on the back foot. When I was returning the first serve well, I was able to dictate points."

"They are quite different players really, " he said. "Tomas is obviously a big hitter and plays lower percentage tennis, whereas Monaco uses a lot of kick serves, gets a high percentage of first serves in, plays a bit further behind the baseline and plays much higher percentage of tennis. They're pretty different game styles."

"Before this week I would have given a lot for the quarter-finals, but now, of course, I'm a little bit disappointed, especially [because] I won the first set, " Thiem admitted. "I played a good match. I will leave Miami feeling positive and with a good feeling for the clay court season."