Andrew Murray ready to step it up against Roger Federer

Andy Murray is confident he will have little problem in stepping up his performance level for Friday’s Australian Open tennis semi-final against Roger Federer, despite his low-key passage to the last four.

Murray has barely broken sweat in advancing to his fourth successive Melbourne semi, although he turned in a much-improved display against big-hitting Jeremy Chardy in the quarter-finals.

The Scot accepts, though, that he will need to play better still against the 17-time major winner, who battled through a tough five-setter against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, with a place in the final on Sunday at stake.

“I think you have to trust yourself that when you are tested you’re going to play better tennis,” he said. “You never know for sure but in the build-up to the tournament I played very well.

“I haven’t lost a set here yet so maybe I am expecting to play too well. But I’ve done a good job so far in this tournament. I can’t be disappointed with where my game’s at and I hope in the next round I play better again.”