Murray sees off teen Tomic

Top seed Andy Murray saw off the spirited challenge of Australian teenager Bernard Tomic to reach the final of the ATP Brisbane International.

Murray - under the watchful eye of new coach Ivan Lendl - was made to work hard in the early exchanges by the 19-year-old Queenslander, who looked far from overawed in his first ATP Tour semi-final, but the British number one's class soon told as he posted a 6-3 6-2 victory.

The Scot will play Alexandr Dolgopolov in tomorrow's final after the Ukrainian earlier overcame Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-3 6-4 in the first semi-final.

Murray, who cruised past doubles partner Marcos Baghdatis in yesterday's quarter-final, made a solid start with two aces in the opening game, but Tomic immediately showed the world number four he was not going to have it all his own way by holding his own first service game to love.

That pattern was typical of the first seven games - Murray edging ahead only for Tomic to hold serve to love, the youngster giving his more experienced opponent plenty to think about.

However, Murray grabbed the decisive break - on his third break point - in game eight to go 5-3 up and then clinched the opening set with another strong service game which included two more aces.

Murray continued at the start of the second set where he had left off in the first, breaking Tomic in an opening game which saw the world number 42 call for the trainer to deal with a right foot problem.

Tomic continued to battle despite the injury, but was unable to prevent Murray consolidating the break by holding serve to give himself daylight at the start of the second set.

The teenager closed out his next service game to get himself on the board, but struggled to make inroads on the Murray serve as the Briton advanced to 3-1.

Tomic again held in game five, delighting the home crowd with a neat drop-shot winner in the process, but once again the Scot swiftly re-established his two-game cushion.

And any faint hopes the Brisbane audience harboured of a comeback were dashed for good when Murray converted his fourth break point by edging a lengthy baseline rally to go 5-2 up and give himself the chance to serve for the match.

He duly finished things off in style, holding to love in clinical fashion.

PA