LONDON — Needing only one set to join Novak Djokovic in the semis at the ATP finals, Andy Murray delighted the adoring home crowd by winning two.

The U.S. Open and Olympic champion beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-2, 7-6 (3) Friday to reach Sunday's semifinals, hours after Djokovic advanced by beating Tomas Berdych 6-2, 7-6 (6).

Because Djokovic won the early match at the O2 Arena in straight sets, Murray needed to win only one set to ensure his place in the semis. However, he said he was unsure about what would get him through when he took the court, adding that coach Ivan Lendl told him to simply focus on winning and not worry about winning one set.

"I didn't know exactly what I needed to do. But obviously when he said that, I kind of realized," Murray said. "Then I just asked the umpire at the change of ends after the first set whether I was through or not. Then he said I was. That was it."

He won that set easily, too, breaking Tsonga's serve in the first and third games en route to a 4-0 lead.

Murray had another early break in the second set, but Tsonga rallied to even the set 3-3 and eventually forced the tiebreaker.