Andy Murray beat David Ferrer 7-6 (7/4), 6-2, 5-7, 6-1, in the French Open quarter-finals on Wednesday to set up a last-four showdown with Novak Djokovic.

Third seed Murray made it 15 consecutive wins on clay this year by beating the number seven seed Ferrer and make it a disappointing day all round for Spain following nine-time champion Rafael Nadal’s defeat to number one seed Djokovic earlier.

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Murray becomes the first British player to reach the semi-finals at Roland Garros on three separate occasions having previously been knocked out in the last four in 2011 and 2014.

“I was frustrated at the end of the third set because I had match points and it’s very difficult to then play a full set more after that,” said Murray.

On the prospect of facing Djokovic, who he trails by 18-8 in career meetings, next, he added: “It’s going to be an extremely tough match but I hope it’s a good one.

“I’m going to need to play a high quality match to have a chance.”

In a remarkable first set on Court Suzanne Lenglen there were six breaks of serve – three apiece – before Murray eventually won it in a tiebreak.

Murray then took the second 6-2, breaking his opponent twice, and looked set to go on and secure victory with the minimum of fuss.

The Scot was 3-0 up in the third set before he let the 2013 runner-up back into the match.

First Murray failed to convert a match point at 5-4 up on Ferrer’s serve and then he was broken in the next game as the Spaniard forced a fourth set.

However, he could not maintain the fightback and the 28-year-old Murray ran away with the set, taking it 6-1 to seal victory after three hours and 16 minutes on court.