Murray safely into last eight

 
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1 July 2013

Andy Murray survived a few wobbles to defeat Mikhail Youzhny in straight sets and reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the sixth successive year.

The world number two had been superb in his first three matches but had to show his fighting qualities, particularly in the second set as he recovered from five games to two down and then from 5-3 behind in a tie-break.

Youzhny was a quarter-finalist here last year and is a talented grass-court player, but the third set was largely one-way traffic as Murray came through 6-4 7-6 (7/5) 6-1 to make the last eight, where he will meet Spain's Fernando Verdasco.

Centre Court was flat and so was the match in its early stages, with neither player finding their best form in the first set, although Murray secured the only break of serve in the third game. It was all a struggle, though, and that continued in the second set, with Youzhny clawing his way back from 40-0 to deuce on Murray's serve in the second game.

Having come through that, Murray played two of his best shots of the match, a half-volley drop shot and pinpoint lob, to force a break point in the following game and then topped them both with a scrambling forehand pass. But he could not cement it as Youzhny forced two break-back points, taking the second when Murray netted a forehand.

The situation was to get worse, as a few minutes later Murray double-faulted to hand Youzhny a second successive break and a 4-2 lead. There was a nervousness around Centre Court, which only increased when Youzhny recovered from 0-30 to win a fourth game in a row.

Murray stopped the rot by holding, and with Youzhny serving for the set he got the crowd going with a brilliant forehand down the line on the stretch. Two break points disappeared but a third arrived and this time Murray took it with a blistering cross-court backhand, geeing the crowd up as he ran back to his chair.

The 26-year-old had a chance to break for 6-5 but Youzhny landed a forehand right in the corner. It was a tense tie-break, and a tame double fault from Murray to trail 4-2 did not help, but he retrieved the mini-break with a precision drop shot. A forehand wide from Youzhny gave Murray his first set point, which he took in style with a stunning backhand return.

There was confusion all round in the third set as Murray made a late decision to play a ball he thought was out, appealing to the line judge and umpire in vain. That brought up a second break point but the Scot saved it with an ace and then took advantage of a poor game from his opponent to break to love for a 2-0 lead.

Youzhny's threat had passed, and another break gave Murray a 5-1 advantage and the chance to serve for it. He set up a first match point with a sizzling forehand winner and put away a volley to clinch victory after two hours and 37 minutes.

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