Indian Wells 2015: Andy Murray sweeps aside Feliciano Lopez to set up clash with Novak Djokovic in semi-final

Andy Murray of Great Britain in action against Feliciano Lopez of Spain (EPA)

Two years after he last reached the semi-finals of a Masters Series tournament, Andy Murray is through to the last four in Indian Wells thanks to an emphatic 6-3, 6-4 victory over Feliciano Lopez.

Murray had beaten the Spaniard in all nine of their previous meetings and the world No 4 never looked in danger once he had made the first break of serve early in the first set.

In Saturday’s semi-finals the Scot will meet the world No 1, Novak Djokovic, who was handed a walkover when his scheduled quarter-final opponent, Bernard Tomic, withdrew because of a back injury.

The semi-finals could feature the world’s top four players. In Friday’s remaining two quarter-finals Roger Federer, the world No 2, will take on Tomas Berdych, while Rafael Nadal, the world No 3, will meet Milos Raonic.

Lopez, who is at a career-high No 12 in the world rankings, had knocked out Kei Nishikori in the previous round, but the 33-year-old Spaniard has always struggled against Murray.

The Scot’s 497th tour victory took him one ahead of Tim Henman, who previously held the British Open era record. With three more wins he will become only the ninth currently active player to have won 500 or more matches.