French Open: Murray overcomes Isner, Gasquet beats Nishikori

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  • Marching on: Andy Murray.

    Andy Murray admits that returning the John Isner serve under pouring rain was not the easiest of tasks but the Scot avoided any slips, both literally and figuratively, as he skipped past the American No. 15 seed to reach the Roland Garros quarter-finals for a British record sixth time on Sunday.

    Murray extended his unbeaten record against the huge-serving Isner to a clean 6-0, with a 7-6 (9), 6-4, 6-3 victory but it was not all smooth sailing for the world No. 2.

    The temperamental Murray was roaring and barking in frustration throughout the rain-interrupted affair, even once referring to himself as an “absolute turnip”.

    After saving three set points in a wet opening set tiebreak – one with a remarkable backhand passing shot – Murray took a one-set lead, without creating any break point opportunities on the Isner serve, and was up 2-1 when rain halted play for an hour.

    “It can (be dangerous),” Murray said of continuing to play early in the second set despite the rain picking up.

    “I had asked to stop a few points before, because when you’re returning his serve you have to be very explosive. Very quick, and if you lose traction on your feet, it’s very easy to tweak your groin or something.

    “I wasn’t trying to finish the game. I wanted to stop then, and then obviously it started raining extremely hard just a couple of points later.

    “So, yeah, I know it’s difficult sometimes when the right time to stop is, but I think on clay courts that the players really need to be the ones that kind of decide that. If they don’t feel comfortable then you have to stop, because it’s a surface if you get that wrong you can hurt yourself.”

    Murray got a set point on the Isner serve in game 10 and won a volley contest with the 2.08m American at the net to seal a two-set advantage.

    Isner avoided going down a double-break in the third set, saving two break points to hold for 2-4. The 31-year-old had opportunities to break in the following game but Murray held.

    Serving for the match, Murray saved a break point before screaming “focus” at himself and sealed the clash on his first opportunity.

    His quarter-final opponent, Richard Gasquet, was battling No. 5 seed Kei Nishikori on Court Philippe Chatrier at the same time.

    The Frenchman finally broke his quarter-final hoodoo at his home slam by reaching the last eight in Paris on his 13thappearance. Gasquet had lost in the fourth round here on four previous occasions but stood his ground to beat Nishikori 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.

    The No. 9 seed was down 2-4 to Nishikori when rain stopped play but returned with renewed confidence to take the next four games and secure a one-set advantage.

    “I think it was very important time for me to stop after that, because I was playing not good. I was playing far from the baseline and very slow. And of course my coach (Sergi Bruguera) talk to me very loud, and that’s why I did a bad game coming back,” said Gasquet who had lost to Nishikori twice on clay this month in Madrid and Rome.

    “But after I think I played well. And of course I took a lot of confidence after winning that set. I played much better in the second set, and also with the crowd cheering for me, it was a great moment.”

    Defending champion Stan Wawrinka passed a difficult test against Serbian No. 22 seed Viktor Troicki 7-6 (5), 6-7 (7), 6-3, 6-2 to set up a quarter-final with Albert Ramos-Vinolas.

    Earlier in the day, No. 4 seed Garbine Muguruza reached her third consecutive quarter-final in Paris with a powerful 6-3, 6-4 win over 2009 champion and No13 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova.

    “I do think it’s a very good win, because I played her before. It was a very hard match. Well, she’s obviously a champion here. She knows how to win this tournament, and she has a lot of experience and is a very tough player. So being in quarter-finals again, it’s great,” said the Spaniard.

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