Gonzalez downs Murray in four sets to reach first French semifinal

PARIS (AP) -- Fernando Gonzalez has advanced to the French Open semifinals for the first time by beating Andy Murray 6-3, 3-6, 6-0, 6-4.

The No. 12-seeded Gonzalez was broken serving for the match at 5-4 in the final set, but he broke back at love for the victory Tuesday. Gonzalez finished with 24 forehand winners to three for Murray.

Was Gonzalez surprised to have taken a set 6-0 from Murray?

"Playing Andy? I would have never dreamed it," Gonzalez said, "even playing table tennis."

At 28, the Chilean was the oldest player to reach the quarterfinals. He won the Roland Garros boys title in 1998.

With the elimination of the No. 3-seeded Murray, only two men seeded in the top 10 remain -- No. 2 Roger and No. 5 Juan Martin del Potro.

"Some guys can hit huge forehands when they're in the middle the court. Some guys hit huge forehand returns," said Murray, who was playing in the quarterfinals of a clay-court tournament for only the second time. "He can hit his forehand from anywhere on the court."

Gonzalez broke to take a 5-3 lead in the first set by sending a couple of forehand winners past Murray. The 2007 Australian Open finalist then used a couple more late in the next game to hold.

"I tried to dominate with my forehand, because I know that Andy (is) bothered a lot when the balls bounce high. He doesn't play on clay much," Gonzalez said.

In the second set, Murray broke to take a 4-2 lead and held to even the score at one set apiece, but he did little against Gonzalez in the third.

"He played a perfect third set," Murray said.

Gonzalez again broke to take a 5-3 lead in the final set, and then served for the match. Murray, however, broke Gonzalez at love to get to 5-4, but his stellar play didn't last long.

"At the end of the match I played a poor, poor game ... which is not like me," Murray said. "I got myself back into the match there and played four bad points."

But whichever of the two advanced, the real surprise is the absence of Nadal.

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