Andy Murray

BBC

Andy Murray squandered two match points as he lost his Japan Open semi-final to Milos Raonic in three sets.

Raonic broke the defending champion to love in the opening game of the match as he recorded the biggest win of his career 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-4), reports the BBC.

The Canadian, 23, engineered a second break to win the first set and battled back from 4-1 down to take the decider.

Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus takes on Japan's Kei Nishikori in the other semi-final.

The defeat was Murray's first since he became a grand slam champion by winning the US Open in September.

The British number one defeated Raonic in straight sets on his way to that victory in New York but predicted their next meeting would be "much tougher".

Raonic backed up his opening-game break with some solid serving as he sent down five aces in the first set.

Murray saved three break points in the second set before winning it with a cross-court backhand in the tie-break and he opened up a 3-1 lead in the third with his first break of the match.

However, Raonic, who had saved a match point against Janko Tipsarevic in his quarter-final, broke back in game seven and then smashed his way out of trouble at 30-40 and 5-6 down.

A double fault gifted Murray a second match point but the Scot was unable to take advantage as Raonic took the deciding set into a tie-break with a terrific low volley.

He then won two points on Murray's serve before wrapping up the match on the second of his three match points.