Five times Cincinnati winner Roger Federer blunted Andy Murray’s attempt at a comeback at the Western & Southern Open on Friday.

The second-seeded Federer defeated Murray 6-3 7-5 after the Scot had taken a 4-1 lead in the second set.

Federer said he had “lost a little bit of the rhythm” before rebounding against the eighth seeded Murray in the second set.

“From the baseline, he was hitting the ball well – harder and deeper,” Federer told reporters.

“I snuck in a quick break, and next thing you know, I’m back. I feel like I stole that second set.”

Murray, though, thought he had blown an opportunity to get back in the match.

“Obviously, I was well up in the second and blew it,” he said.

“It’s a shame.”

The Scot broke Federer in the third and fifth games of the set for his 4-1 lead. But his Swiss opponent fought back to level the set, breaking Murray twice and holding serve to pull even at 4-4.

Both players held until Murray bowed out on his serve.

In the first set, Federer broke Murray for a 3-2 lead and closed out the set by breaking him again.

Federer won 82 per cent of his first serve points (14 of 17) and saved both break points he faced on his own serve.

“I hit the ball well,” Federer said.

“I was the more aggressive guy out there. I was having more impact from the baseline and on the serve.”

Federer was playing Canadian fifth-seed Milos Raonic in the semi-finals last night with surprising Frenchman Julien Benneteau meeting Spain’s David Ferrer in the other.

Raonic breezed past 15th seed Fabio Fognini, of Italy, 6-1 6-0 in a quarter-final mis-match that lasted only 57 minutes.

Benneteau delivered the day’s shock with a 1-6 6-1 6-2 ousting of Swiss world number four Stan Wawrinka to reach his first Masters semi-final.

In the women’s semi-finals, Maria Sharapova, who edged second-seed Simona Halep, was playing Ana Ivanovic last night.

Sharapova, seeded fifth, outlasted Romanian Halep 3-6 6-4 6-4 while Ivanovic beat Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6-2 6-3.

Women’s semi-final: Serena Wil-liams bt Wozniacki 2-6 6-2 6-4.

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