DOHA, Qatar, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Returning champion Andy Murray turned on the after-burner and upset former world No. 1 Roger Federer in a semifinal Friday at the Qatar Open.
Another former No. 1, Andy Roddick, downed Gael Monfils in Friday's other tennis semifinal.
The Qatar Open, the ATP World Tour's season-opener, is a $1.11 million tuneup for the Australian Open.
Third-seeded Murray downed Federer for the fifth time in seven tries, coming from behind to defeat the second-seeded Swiss Federer 6-7 (6-8), 6-2, 6-2 in two hours and four minutes.
Fourth-seeded Roddick triumphed over the fifth-seeded Monfils, 7-6 (7-1), 3-6, 6-3. Monfils, the 2008 French Open semifinalist, had upset world No. 1 Rafael Nadal in straight sets during Thursday's quarterfinals.
Whoever wins Saturday's finals will take home $183,000.
