Murray bags 16th straight victory at the All England Club

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • On course: Andy Murray

    There was no drama for Andy Murray as he registered his 16th consecutive victory at the All England Club with a comprehensive 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 win over Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut in the third round yesterday.

    Murray, who won the title last year as well as the Olympic gold medal on the same grounds in 2012, has now advanced to the last 16 for an eighth time in nine years (he missed the event in 2007 with a wrist injury).

    Up until the end of the second set, Murray had won 100 per cent (23 of 23) first serve points and handled everything the flat-hitting Bautista Agut threw at him with ease.

    The defending champion converted eight of 16 break points and even though he was broken once in each of the second and third sets, his double break buffer allowed him to advance in a mere 95 minutes.

    Murray has made the second week for the loss of just 19 games, beating his previous Wimbledon best of 26 games conceded in 2010. “I responded well, it’s been a good first week,” said Murray. “I had plenty of long matches at the French Open to get me physically ready for this.”

    Murray next faces No20 seed Kevin Anderson, who ended his five-match losing streak against top 20 opposition by outlasting Italian No16 seed Fabio Fognini 4-6, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 and become the first South African man to reach the last 16 at Wimbledon in 14 years.

    Grigor Dimitrov, a potential quarter-final opponent for Murray, conceded he played a sub-par matchbut was happy to overcome Ukrainian No21 seed Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-7(3), 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 – the Bulgarian’s third career five-set victory.

    Former champion Lleyton Hewitt broke an Open era record for the most five-set matches contested at grand slams playing his 42nd major five-setter yesterday, falling to last year’s semi-finalist Jerzy Janowicz 7-5, 6-4, 6-7(7), 4-6, 6-3 in a match carried over from the previous night.

    The Polish, who has now advanced to at least the third round on each of his three appearances here, will face No23 seed Tommy Robredo today for a spot in the second week.

    Recommended