Murray nets Fish; Roddick on track for 5th title

LONDON – Top-seeded Andy Murray lost just five points on his serve in beating Mardy Fish, 7-5, 6-3, Friday to reach the semifinals of the Aegon Championships at Queen’s Club.

Murray never faced a break point against the American, and broke for a 6-5 lead in the first set after Fish netted a forehand volley.

Murray broke again to go up 4-3 in the second after Fish netted a backhand, and the Briton sealed the match with a crosscourt winner.

“He served very well at the start of the match and didn’t give me too many opportunities,” Murray said. “But I hit a few really good passing shots at 5-5 in the first set and managed to break him, and once I did that I started to feel more comfortable.”

Andy Roddick stayed on track for his fifth title at Queen’s Club by defeating Ivo Karlovic, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5).

The result was a repeat of their 2005 final, also won by Roddick.

The second-seeded American had 24 aces and Karlovic 26 in a match that featured few rallies, and there were only two break points.

Those came with Roddick leading 6-5 in the second set, but the hard-serving Croat volleyed a winner on the first and hit a drop shot on the second.

“You’re not going to get many chances, especially if he’s making first serves,” Roddick said. “Luckily in the tiebreakers I got a couple of looks at some second serves. ... You kind of have to hold your nerve a little bit on your own service game. If it gets to 30-30 you know if you miss one ball that could be a set, because you’re not going to get any looks to get back into it.”

Roddick next plays No. 6 James Blake after the American dismissed 14th-seeded Russian Mikhail Youzhny, 7-6 (5), 6-3.  (AP)