CHILE PEPPERED; FRENCH OPEN BRITISH No.1'S ROLAND GARROS CHALLENGE IS OVER.

Byline: NEIL MCLEMAN

ANDY MURRAY was blasted out of the French Open by a South American slugger nicknamed Stone Hands because he packs a punch like Roberto Duran.

Faced by the fierce forehand hitting of Chile's Fernando Gonzalez, the British No.1 tried manfully to bob and weave in defence and return the stinging blows.

But at the end of four punishing sets, the world No.3's hopes of a first Grand Slam title were left flat out on the red Roland Garros dirt by the No.12 seed.

Roger Federer, the winner of 13 titles, is the clear favourite to land his first French Open and complete a career Grand Slam on Sunday.

And Murray, who had reached the last eight at Roland Garros for the first time, admitted he had been beaten into submission by the better man.

"His forehand is the biggest in the game," said the Scot. "He can hit winners from anywhere - that's why he is so dangerous.

"Sometimes you've just got to say, 'Too good'. I played against him before and he hits the ball hard but today he was hitting it huge.

"It's easy to sit on the side and think, 'You could have done this and that'. But no-one hits the ball that big. He hit his forehand great and made very few errors off it.

"He was hitting forehands from a metre wide of the tramline on some points and hitting winners.

"And I ended up going for broke as well and made more errors. Maybe I hit a few too many balls to his forehand. But his one-two punch off his serve and the forehand were pretty impressive."

Gonzalez, at 28 the oldest man left in the last eight, had been the only play-r to reach the quarter-finals without dropping a set.

And the 2007 Australian Open finalist continued that run in claiming the first set in 40 minutes with a single break.

After dropping only his second set here, Murray fought back to level and appeared to have the match going his way.

But this encounter was decided in a blitzkreig, 24minute third set where the Scot appeared to lose concentration as the Chilean broke his service three times.

"He played the perfect set," said Murray. "I had the momentum and didn't go with it."

Despite breaking back when Gonzalez served for the match, the Dunblane-born star was then broken again to love to lose 6-3 3-6 6-0 6-4 win in two hours 15 minutes.

Gonzalez, who won the Boys Singles here in 1998, said: "I tried to dominate with my forehand because I know Andy is bothered a lot when the ball bounces high.

"But he's a really good player and will dominate the tour in the next few years."

But with Rafa Nadal out, Federer far from invincible and No.23 seed Robin Soderling, who thrashed Nikolay Davydenko 6-1 6-3 6-1 awaiting in the last four, Murray had the chance to reach his second Grand Slam final without facing another top ten player.

CAPTION(S):

GONZ WITH THE WIND Fernando Gonzalez lets rip with a backhand on his way to four-set victory over Andy Murray STEP sA TOO FAR .. Murray looks to the heavens as the game slips away