Andy Murray has a bit of rebellion to quash here. Gael Monfils moves to deuce with a cute angled drop shot and then nudges onto a break point as he lures the British number one into the net.

Murray saves it as he punches a double-handed backhand down the line. Solid strike and solid nerves there.

Murray is stopped on the brink of sealing the game as a line judge, stooping to get a better view of the whitewash, takes a tumble mid rally. The official goes a similar colour to the clay as he gets to his feet.

Murray is not to be derailed. Serve held and job done.

The women's semi-final line-up has been completed by Romanian Simona Halep, at four the highest seed left in the draw.

Halep has beaten Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova in straight sets, 6-2 6-2 and will meet Andrea Petkovic in the last four.

The completion of that match on Court Suzanne Lenglen means Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer now have the dancefloor all to themselves.

Image source, Getty Images

Mary Pierce
Former Australian and French Open champion on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

"This is definitely the position Andy wants to find himself. He's been aggressive from the very first point."

Listen on 5 live sports extra

Andy Murray gets a useful snag off the wire to move to 0-30 and put the thumb-screws on Gael Monfils in his first service game.

The French crowd are convinced of an improper relationship between Murray and Lady Luck. And their mood is worsened when Murray calls the umpire out of his chair to take a second look at the mini-crater left by a Gael Monfils drop shot.

"Out!" comes the call and it is two break points for Murray at 15-40.

Monfils cuffs between the tramlines to surrender his serve. And it couldn't have started much better for the Scot.

Mary Pierce
Former Australian and French Open champion on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

"Andy is setting the tone. He was very aggressive in that game and put Gael under pressure. Gael can be nervous as well. On that last point, he ran around his backhand to use the forehand, which he will do a lot today."

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Andy Murray spoke of the importance of dictating points and he backs up words with actions. Off the very first rally of the match, the British number one comes to the net to put away a volley past a helpless Gael Monfils.

Authoritative. Just the stuff to put a dampener on the soggy home crowd.

Image source, AFP

Right onto the action. Andy Murray to serve...

"Sharapova is like a tea bag. Put her into hot water and u'll find out how strong she is."

So tweeted Judy Murray last night in tribute to Maria Sharapova's gutsy win over Garbine Muguruza.

But something was lost in translation.

Sharapova was completely confused by the simile and inadvertently took revenge by referring to Judy as English.

Food-stuffs, tennis players? Any more similes for us?

Get involved on text, Twitter and Facebook.

BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

BBC Radio 5 live have taken to the airwaves live from Roland Garros. You can turn on and tune in via your old-school wireless or your new-school wireless.

Darren Huart:, external Mixed reception for Murray, unfortunately feel that Monfils will have too much for him on the clay in his own back yard.

Stephanie Siu:, external Finally the Murray Monfils showdown is about to begin. I'll catch a decent amount of the match by the time I'm home. Murray in 4.

Andy Murray speaking to ITV earlier today: "Conditions today are going to make any court feel slow today.

"The ball will pick up more moisture and that makes them come through quite slowly.

"If you are the one dictating the points that is the place to be because it can be heavy on the legs as if you are chasing out wide.

"He loves to defend and the worse thing you can do is get impatient and try and hit through him. You have to pick your shots and try him forward at times."

Andy Murray and Gael Monfils have just strode out onto court. Monfils was greeted to a rapturous reception, Murray's is mostly polite with a couple of cat-calls thrown in.

Pick-pock, thwack-thwock. The knock-up is under way.

Piers Newbery
BBC Sport at Roland Garros

"It's been a long, cold, damp afternoon at Roland Garros but the main event of the day, which it certainly is around these parts, is about to begin. Monfils featured on most covers at the newsstand this morning and there were plenty of shouts of "Allez Monfils!" around the grounds this afternoon. Murray enjoyed a hit on Chatrier this morning before the rain came, and a parky, windswept evening shouldn't be completely foreign to him."

Image source, AP

Andrea Petkovic has vowed that her once-famous celebratory jig is staying retired,, external and she stayed true to that in the wake of her win over Errani.

A smart bow to all four corners, a wide grin and plenty of waves were all the Philippe Chatrier crowd got.

Surely she could be persuaded to break that soft-shoe shuffle back out should she lift this most unpredictable of Grand Slams on Sunday?

Image source, Reuters

Today's action at the French Open has been delayed by some unseasonably persistent and heavy rain.

Less Paris in the springtime, more Manchester in March.

The action has been cracking along since the rain halted though. Over on Court Suzanne Lenglen, Simona Halep, the highest-ranked player left in the ladies' draw, is 6-2 2-1 up on 2009 champion Svetlana Kuznetosva.

German 28th seed Andrea Petkovic though has whistled into her first Grand Slam semi-final in just 63 minutes, monstering Italian Sara Errani's serve to win 6-2 6-2.

Which means Andy Murray and Gael Monfils are next down the Court Philippe Chatrier ramp...

Image source, Getty Images

Since then, Andy Murray and Gael Monfils have met on two occasions at tour level in Paris, with Monfils winning both matches.

If he makes it three out of three in the French capital back in June 2014, Andy Murray will have to turn his attention to the grass-court season.

A Murray victory though would set up a semi-final against either David Ferrer or, perhaps more likely, eight-time champion Rafael Nadal.

No doubt about, this is the pointy end of the draw.

Image source, Getty Images

Rewind 16 years. Now switch your time-travelling gaze 70-odd miles north west from Paris.

A 10-year-old Andy Murray, still under the tutelage of mother Judy, and a bespectacled Gael Monfils, just a year older, are competing for a place in the final of a junior tournament Rouen.

The young Frenchman prevails on that occasion, going onto face Andy's brother Jamie in the final.