Andy Murray advanced into the quarter-finals of the French Open with a straight-sets victory over Marin Cilic at Roland Garros today.
Cilic, the 13th seed, came into the match having not lost a set all tournament but Murray, the third seed, was in a different league to the Croat's previous opponents, posting a solid 7-5, 7-6, 6-1 victory in two hours 31 minutes on the Suzanne Lenglen court.
The Scot is only the third Briton to have made the last eight here in the Open era, after Roger Taylor and Tim Henman, and has now won four straight matches on clay for the first time.
Murray, who made only 14 unforced errors all match, came into it armed with the knowledge he had not lost to the Cilic as a senior. And they started in searing heat, trading early breaks in the first set but in the 11th game Murray grabbed what proved to be the decisive third break – at the second time of asking – when Cilic went long with a backhand. Serving 6-5 ahead, Murray earned two set points and took the second with an unreturnable serve.
Murray broke first in the second set too, playing with confidence and making few mistakes. His sometimes cautious approach worked while Cilic continued to make the unforced errors.
Murray looked well in control when 4-2 ahead but was broken in game eight after hooking a backhand wide at the end of a long rally. Murray then wasted break points in games nine and 11 and served to stay in the set twice to force a tie-break.
He claimed the early mini-break and shot 6–2 ahead. Cilic came back to 6-4, but on the Scot's third set point, the Croat went wide with a forehand and Murray was on the brink of the quarter-finals.
Murray broke in the second game of the third set and after he had gone 3–0 up, Cilic sent for the trainer, who applied treatment on the player's left thigh, which he had injured running back in an attempt to retrieve a Murray lob.
Murray would later be broken but he had no problems clinching the match at the second time of asking.
He will now play Fernando González of Chile who beat Victor Hanescu of Romania in straight sets earlier today.
