Tennis: Murray downs Kyrgios

Andy Murray chases down the ball against Nick Kyrgios. Photo: Reuters
Andy Murray chases down the ball against Nick Kyrgios. Photo: Reuters

World No 2 Andy Murray withstood the challenge of Nick Kyrgios this morning, sweeping aside the mercurial Australian 7-5 6-1 6-4 on Centre Court to reach his ninth straight Wimbledon quarterfinal.

For much of a pulsating first set 15th seed Kyrgios had the edge, however, thudding down serves at close to 140 mph that the second-seeded Scot struggled to reach let alone control.

Murray's serve, meanwhile, was misfiring and, under darkening skies and roared on by a partisan crowd, he had to dig deep to stay on terms with the Australian.

The set and the match turned in the 12th game, when a combination of Kyrgios errors and two inspired Murray backhands presented the Scot with three break points. Kyrgios saved the first two with booming serves but Murray converted the third when the Australian netted a forehand volley.

Thereafter Kyrgios's focus and intensity wavered, the Briton breaking him twice in a second set that flew by in 26 minutes. He broke once more in the third, closing out the contest with an ace on his third match point.

Murray will face swashbuckling Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the 12th seed, in the quarterfinals.

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