Murray progresses to quarter-finals

Andy Murray found form to match the scorching Wimbledon weather as he despatched Richard Gasquet 7-6 (7/3) 6-3 6-2 in the fourth round on Centre Court this afternoon.

The Frenchman is a hugely talented player and someone Murray has battled against since he was a teenager, but, after a tight first set, it was the fourth seed who dominated to book a place in the quarter-finals for the fourth successive year.

And, with either Feliciano Lopez or Lukasz Kubot up next, Murray will be expected to make that a third semi-final in a row.

Andy Murray edged a tense first set of his fourth-round Wimbledon encounter with Richard Gasquet on a tie-break in scorching conditions on Centre Court.

The clash came three years to the day since the pair played one of Centre Court’s most memorable matches of recent times, with Murray coming back from two sets and a break down to triumph.

The Scot did the same in the first round of the French Open last year and therefore took a significant psychological advantage into today’s meeting.

Murray would, of course, have hoped to avoid such drama today and, in front of the watching Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, he began with a precision backhand winner down the line.

But it was Gasquet who found life much easier on his serve in the early stages, with Murray doing well to save a break point in only the second game.

The Frenchman is one of tennis’ most talented exponents, with his single-handed backhand the envy of many, and he and Murray have been battling it out since their junior days.

With barely a hint of a break point for the rest of the set, a tie-break loomed large, and it was the fourth seed who stepped it up, powering a backhand winner to move 3-1 in front.

Gasquet retrieved the mini-break but the Scot came out on top in a mammoth rally, mostly played on backhand, and then moved to set point when the 17th seed miscued a forehand, taking it 7/3 with a big serve.

Murray had lost concentration after winning the first set against Ivan Ljubicic in round three and dropped his serve, and it looked like the same might happen when he immediately trailed 0-30 but this time he dug himself out of the hole.

He then brought up his first break point of the match in the second game of set two but broke a string on an attempted backhand pass, dropping the racquet to the grass in disgust.

It was Murray’s turn to enjoy some luck in game six, though, when he looked to have slumped to 0-30 again with a double fault, only for a hopeful challenge to show the ball had caught the very back of the line.

The Scot was certainly more in control than he had been in the first set, and when he brought up another break point in the eighth game, it was Gasquet who cracked, firing a backhand long.

That left Murray serving to secure the set 6-3, and he achieved it with no alarms to move to the brink of a place in the quarter-finals.

If Gasquet was to win he would have to find the same inspiration his opponent had done in their previous grand slam meetings, but the Frenchman's hopes took another blow when two brilliant Murray forehands helped him break for 3-2 in the third set.

The world number four was playing very well now, firing winner after winner past a forlorn Gasquet, who was sadly lacking in fight as he slumped to another break with a wayward smash.

A huge cheer erupted as Murray rose to serve for the match, although this time it was not for the 24-year-old but to greet the news that Marion Bartoli had beaten Serena Williams.

The British number one did not have to wait too long, though, saving a rare break point before clinching victory with an ace and then bowing to the royal couple, who stood to applaud him along with the rest of the Centre Court crowd.