No excuses, no apologies from Andy Murray

2:33 PM ET

PARIS — He started so promisingly. He really did. Then Richard Gasquet seemed to have a full-blown existential crises that would’ve made Sartre proud.

Gasquet had taken the court Wednesday wearing a red, white and blue shirt, the colors of the French flag, for his match against world No. 2 Andy Murray. Through the first two sets they played at the French Open, Gasquet actually had his countrymen at Court Philippe Chatrier believing this might finally be the year the hometown favorite would break through to the semis, perhaps even the final, of the Grand Slam tournament he won as a junior.

The fans were chanting his first name. They roared when he flung himself head first after a drop shot and then theatrically laid on the dirt for a moment, flat on his back.

Next up for Andy Murray is a date with defending champion Stan Wawrinka in Friday’s semifinals. PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/Getty Images

But Murray, who’s also been known to have a few “Who am I? Why am I here?” moments during his tortured conversations with himself mid-match, is nothing if not a contrarian. Before this match, the Scotsman said he actually enjoyed being the villain.

Something had to give Wednesday, and as it turned out, it was Gasquet, with a suddenness that was disappointing. After the talented Frenchman lost the second-set in a tiebreaker to Murray — the first tiebreaker Gasquet lost this year — Murray ran him off the court for a 5-7, 7-6 (3), 6-0, 6-2 win.

Even before it was over, Gasquet’s support team sat gloomily in his player’s box with their chins in their hands. And the crowd at Chatrier had gone as flat as three-day-old champagne.

“It actually wasn’t too bad,” Murray said later, shrugging. “I’ve played in worst atmospheres. … I believe I …

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