Tennis-Murray too solid for Pospisil as he moves into semis

LONDON, July 8 (Reuters) - Andy Murray stayed on course for a second Wimbledon title but was made to work hard for a 6-4 7-5 6-4 quarter-final defeat of Canada's Vasek Pospisil on Wednesday. A match that started under grey skies and finished under Centre Court's roof because of rain showers was never straightforward for the third seed but his grand slam pedigree told in the important moments. Cheered on by a full house that included Prince William, his wife the Duchess of Cambridge and former England soccer captain David Beckham, Murray broke serve in the third game of the match and was leading 3-1 when light rain forced a suspension of play. On the resumption Murray resisted some eye-catching tennis from the quarter-final debutant but moved a set ahead when 25-year-old Pospisil netted a forehand. Another rain break in the second set with Murray down 4-3, which this time prompted the roof to close, seemed to unsettle Pospisil and he dropped serve at 5-5 when he was left floundering at the net by a dipping Murray backhand. Murray pressed hard in the third set but Pospisil did not crack and even when Murray served for the match at 5-4 Pospisil earned his first break point of the match. He could not take it though and Murray secured the win with a rasping forehand on his second match point to reach his sixth Wimbledon semi-final where he will face seven-times champion Roger Federer who thrashed Frenchman Gilles Simon. "I thought I played some good stuff but he served very well," Murray said moments after securing his 150th grand slam match win. "I hope I can get to another final but it's going to be another tough one on Friday." (Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha Sarkar)