Murray shrugs off Vallverdu factor in Berdych clash

Andy Murray takes on seventh seed Berdych in the last four of the Australian Open this morning (coverage from 8.20am on BBC), a player who will have the inside track on the Wimbledon champion.

Berdych is coached by Murray’s long-term friend and former assistant coach Dani Vallverdu, who — along with fitness trainer Jez Green — left the Murray camp at the end of last season.

“It’s a great opportunity for both of them,” Vallverdu said. “I am very pleased for Andy and Tomas. It’s where they belong. They have been around semi-finals and finals of slams for the last five years so it’s nothing new. It was always going to happen and it’s great it happened early.