Andy Murray secured a maiden Masters Cup semi-final berth after breezing to a 6-4, 6-2 win against France's Gilles Simon in Shanghai today.

Making his first appearance at the season-ending tournament, world No4 Murray followed up his defeat of American Andy Roddick to advance to the last four even before he faces title-holder Roger Federer in the red group.

But the Scot has no intention of taking it easy against the world No2 on Friday. “Obviously, I want to try to win the match,” he said. “To beat Federer any time is always a great achievement.”

Simon, a late replacement for world No1 Rafael Nadal, can also advance despite today's defeat.

His final game in the red group will be against Czech Radek Stepanek, who received a call-up when Roddick (right) withdrew from the eight-man event due to an ankle injury.

Murray revealed that the unexpected appearance of the world No29, who was second on court against Federer today, added to the pressure of his own match.

The Scot said: “Radek turned up without his own rackets, he borrowed some socks off me and he hasn't got his contact lenses. So I knew I had to win because I can't see him winning too many games.”

He needn't have worried. Murray raced out of the blocks and broke Simon twice at the start of the match and, after surviving a resurgence from the Frenchman he beat to win the Madrid Masters, secured the first set.

Unlike in his first match, when his game stuttered and he allowed Roddick to take the second set, the British No1 raced to the finish line.

He broke Simon twice in succession to sweep into a 5-1 lead. While the Frenchman held his nerve to recover from 15-30 down to hold serve in the next game, it little but delay the inevitable as Murray took match-point with a forehand winner.

Roddick, meanwhile, revealed his injury occurred during practice yesterday.

“When I was doing a warm-up drill I just went over on it,” he said.

“I can't really stop and start very quickly and when I go over on the outside it hurts. It would have been a tough prospect trying to beat Roger with no serve and not being able to move much.”