LONDON, June 17, 2016

The semi-finals are set at the Aegon Championships with top-seed Andy Murray making his way into the stage of the final four on Friday. The world number two fought past fellow countryman Kyle Edmund 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 in the first all-British-quarterfinal on the ATP World Tour since Tim Henman defeated Greg Rusedski in Adelaide 2002. Murray sent down 11 aces, winning 67% of his first service points to prevail in one hour and 50 minutes.

“Kyle was hitting the ball big throughout the match. At the end of that second set, he was going for it,” Murray told. “When he’s landing first serves and then getting the first shot of the rally on his forehand, he can dictate a lot of the points. If you want to get to the top of the game, you need to have weapons and he has them.”

Murray will next take on Marin Cilic. The fifth seed from Croatia beat Steve Johnson 6-7, 6-3, 6-4. Cilic withstood 10 aces, hitting nine of his own and saved all three break points he faced to advance in one hour and 49 minutes.

“It was very tough,” said Cilic. “I think Steve was playing pretty well today. He was serving really well. He was giving me a lot of trouble with his serve. Unfortunately, I played poorly in that first-set tie-break and I had to dig out this match in the second and third set. It wasn’t easy. I was 0/40 down in the first game of the third set and the next game on my serve, I was 0/30. So I had to dig a few chances out. I’m happy with the way I’m playing, and just hopefully I can continue with good form.”

Third seed Milos Raonic eased past Roberto Bautista-Agut 6-1, 6-4 in 60 minutes to face Bernard Tomic next. The 23-year-old Australian overcame Den Bosch finalist Gilles Muller 7-6, 6-4, 6-2. Tomic fired 16 aces and capitalized on two of his eight break point chances to celebrate his first victory over the veteran from Luxembourg in the pair’s third tour meeting.

Four time champions at the Queen’s Club (photo: British Tennis)

FOUR-TIME CHAMPIONS HONOURED ON CENTRE COURT

Four-time champions Roy Emerson, John McEnroe, Boris Becker and Lleyton Hewitt were all celebrated in front of a capacity Aegon Championships crowd.

With Andy Murray following them on to the court as he tries to win a record fifth title, Emerson, McEnroe and Becker were presented with quarter-size replica versions of the enormous silver trophy at The Queen’s Club.

Hewitt had been the first to receive one of the trophies when he retired a year ago, and Murray followed earlier this year. The tournament hopes to present a trophy to its other surviving four-time winner – Andy Roddick – in the near future.

“Our four-time champions are a huge part of the 125-year history of this great tennis tournament, and it was a privilege to be able to honour Roy, John, Boris and Lleyton in this way,” said Tournament Director, Stephen Farrow. “To have had Roy Emerson with us this week, exactly 50 years since his final title here in 1966, is something we will always remember.”

Emerson said: “I first played here in 1954 and I loved Queen’s. Back then it was nothing like it is now with these huge stands, but I always loved it here.”

McEnroe said: “My first ever tournament as a professional was at The Queen’s Club and I lost in the final. I reached the final seven years in a row so it will always be special to me.”

Becker said: “Winning here was my very first tournament victory, and is something I will never forget.”

Hewitt said: “My first final was the most special, beating Pete Sampras in the final on these great grass courts to hold up that trophy was a really special feeling.”

The Four-Time Champions

Major J.G. Ritchie (1902, 1904, 1906, 1909)
A.F. Wilding (1907, 1910, 1911, 1912)
R. Emerson (1963, 1964, 1965, 1966)
J.P. McEnroe (1979, 1980, 1981, 1984)
B. Becker (1985, 1987, 1988, 1996)
L. Hewitt (2000, 2001, 2002, 2006)
A. Roddick (2003, 2004, 2005, 2007)
A. Murray (2009, 2011, 2013, 2015)