A shattered Tomas Berdych admitted he faces a tough road to better his semi-final appearance at the Australian Open after his convincing loss to Andy Murray.

Berdych took the first set in a tight tiebreak but lost 6-7 (6-8) 6-0 6-3 7-5 to the sixth-seeded Scot.

The Czech left his big serve at home, serving just five aces, and seemed lost for a long period after his successful tiebreak.

During Murray’s tremendous mid-match streak, Berdych won just two games in over an hour and went two sets without earning a break point.

He was at a loss to explain his performance.

“I’m really not happy and not in a good mood,” he said.

“I was just trying to get my chances, trying to fight for it, but it was not enough and I’m very disappointed with it.

“It was a battle about the baseline today, and whoever holds that better.

“That’s what he did.

“I need to just come back and be stronger next time.”

While Murray remarked on extra tension in the air and said he shook up his tactics, Berdych was oblivious to both after the match.

The Czech now boasts Murray’s former coach and friend Dani Vallverdu in his box, which was the subject of much pre-match hype.

Tensions threatened to boil over when Murray complained to the chair umpire that Berdych addressed him during a set break.

The seventh seed revealed his words were simply “Come on Tomas”, while an extended glare at Murray after losing a service game was just “the sport”.

“I mean, where should I look?” he said.

“There is no really big deal about anything what was happening today on the court.

“It was a great battle… unfortunately with a bad end for me.”