Image source, Reuters

Milos Raonic, by contrast to Murray, is a cyborg on-court.

The Canadian offers up a break point as he punts long to hand Murray 30-40.

Not a flicker of frustration.

He clambers into a forehand across court to buy passage to deuce.

Not a smidge of celebration.

David Law
Radio 5 live sports extra commentator

Image source, Reuters

"Three times Andy Murray has reached the finals of this competition having lost the first set in the semi-final."

Andy Murray is giving Andy Murray a pep-talk.

"C'mon," barks the Scot as he lures Raonic into the net at the end of the lengthy rally to move 30-15 up.

A fist-pump and bicep-curl greets the clouted serve that spits out to the limits of even Milos Raonic's pterodactyl wing-span.

 Can Murray jump-start his game?

Pat Cash
Former Wimbledon champion on Radio 5 live sports extra

"That last serve was 201 km/h which is very fast. It was a fair way inside the centre strip. If Murray had picked it, he would have got it comfortably.

"It was a perfect first game for Raonic and he hangs tough in there to take the set."

Kevin Unitt: The usual yet completely inexplicable passive start from Murray cost him entire set. Can only ever do it the hard way!

Laura Hopkins: Can't cope with the tension! Too busy hanging on every #bbctennis, external update to get any work done! Come on Andy!

Image source, Getty Images

Andy Murray hops in frustration as he sends a runty drop-shot dribbling into the net and allows Raonic to advance to 30-0.

The Canadian is two points away from the first set.

And he pushes all his chips into the middle with a thumped, full-blooded second serve on the next point. Into the net and a chink of light at 30-15 for Murray.

A rocket serve from Raonic and this one is good. 40-15 and two set points.

A nervy backhand floats long off the Canadian's bat. Could he be tightening up?

Nope. Hawk-Eye reveals that a blur of a a serve smeared the service line with Murray nowhere near it and that is the set.

Thirty-six minutes on the clock, 14 winners to four in Raonic's favour. 

Andy Murray serving to stay in the set.

And he hangs tough, sending the spotlight swinging back onto Milos Raonic.

The Scot is harder to shift than a hospital supervirus, but he will need all his street-fighting smarts to pull this set out of the fire.

Raonic serves for the set next...

When someone comes to court wearing a gumshield, you know that they mean business.

Milos Raonic sports a mouthguard to stop him grinding his teeth apparently, but he looks ready for fisticuffs as he slam-dunks away a whopping overhead smash to hold to 30.

He has been bristling with aggression and intent so far.

Image source, Getty Images

Milos Raonic snags the net and Andy Murray's serve survives unscathed.

The Scot has been on the defensive so far. Can he rouse himself to wrestle back the momentum at the pointy end of the set?

Andy Murray flops a backhand into the top of the net as he is forced back behind the baseline.

30-40 and break point Raonic.

If he loses this next point, the first set is surely toast.

First serve missed. Second serve lands. And Murray's forehand is a clean winner.

He lives to fight another day. But he is not out of the woods just yet...

After offering up three break points on his opening service game, Milos Raonic is now chugging along like the Flying Scotsman.

He holds to love in a twinkle, plucking his shirt off his sticky shoulders in muted celebration.

He is two holds away from tying up this opener.

Pat Cash
Former Wimbledon champion on Radio 5 live sports extra

"One of the highlights of the tournament. It was almost like an off drive, if you're a cricket player. It was very, very good."

Oh my.

The first bit of magic from the Andy Murray wand. 

The Scot, 40-0 up, scampers in to fish a Milos Raonic drop-shot up from half an inch off the deck, whipping the ball over the net and back down for a clean winner.

More dip than a Roberto Carlos free-kick on that one.

Murray styles it out by continuing his run to his courtside seat, flopping down for a sip of isotonic. Casual.

Image source, Getty Images

Lee Mabey: Nice to see tennis fans are not getting hysterical after the opening few games  

James Taylor: Stay calm, Murray fans. He's just working out how he's going to play against the big serve and forehand. He'll be fine. 

Alison Bodie: Plenty of time Andy Murray. Stay focused.

Fashionably late? Well, whatever style points the couple in the front row won as they turn up at the start of the fourth game are wiped out by a withering glare from Milos Raonic.

Finally they have found their seats and the Canadian can get on with serving.

And he seems to take out his frustration on the little fuzzy fella as he bashes down some heat-seeking serves, topping out with a 140mph ace that slams into the backboards to close out the game to 15.

Andy Murray plucks the first ace of the match out of his quiver as he belatedly makes a mark on the scoreboard.

The Scot is already chuntering away to himself by the way. It isn't the full Malcolm Tucker just yet, but we have only just started.

Dave Russell: "Ooppppppps, well four sets would be OK, I guess! Come on Andy.

Nchnthman: "Why can't British players just come out and win their first set? They make it hard for themselves."

Edgar-Francis Ighata: "Just have this sneaking feeling that Raonic is going to win this and the final. He's going to be a top 5 player by December."

Image source, Getty Images

Milos Raonic unfurls a gigantic forehand, ratcheting that sleeved right arm back like a giant Roman catapult to slug away a winner on his way back to deuce.

Lumberjack-tough mentality from the Canadian.

And he has held onto serve to complete the escape. A chance gone for Murray and he won't get many against that bazooka serve.

Well, well, well.

This is like me playing down the park.

Serving is proving a distinct disadvantage.

Milos Raonic duffs a forehand wide to fall 0-40 down and offer up three break points of his own. Still not a single point won on serve.