(AFP) - Andy Murray overcame post-Olympic fatigue by winning his 21st straight match to reach the semi-finals of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Bernard Tomic on Friday.
Top seed Murray, running out of puff after claiming his second Olympic gold medal in Rio, grabbed his left hip in the opening game against Tomic, but soon settled in.
The world No. 2 won his fifth match over the Australian and stands 32-1 since losing to Novak Djokovic in May in Madrid.
"I knew that coming straight from the Olympics I was going to be tired. But I've still managed to win," Murray said.
"Conditions help a bit. There are not a lot of long rallies. I have a few days off when this week is done and then I'll prepare for the US Open."
Murray next faces fourth seed Canadian Milos Raonic, who beat Dominic Thiem 6-3, 6-4. The Scot leads the series 8-4, beating Raonic four times in 2016 including the Wimbledon final.
Raonic advanced to his seventh semi-final of the season in 68 minutes.
The 25-year-old finished with 32 winners, while Thiem, with four 2016 titles, managed only 10 winners and failed on two break point chances.
"I definitely executed well. I did quite a few things well today," Raonic said.
"I've practised with him many times, so to some extent I have an understanding of his game, like he has of mine."
Former US Open champion Marin Cilic reached his first Masters semi-final, advancing when Croatian compatriot Borna Coric retired with fatigue after losing the opening set 6-2.
"Today on the court I felt great," Cilic said.
"It's tougher obviously to control the ball during the day. It flies much more.
"I felt really, really good on the court this week - obviously it shows on the scoreboard."
Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov put out new US No. 1 Steve Johnson in straight sets, 7-6 (10-8), 6-2.
Both players came into the quarter-finals off the back of wins over seeds.
Dimitrov knocked out Stan Wawrinka in the third round, while Johnson beat French seventh seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Dimitrov now faces Cilic, who has won two of their three matches.
