• BNP Paribas Open

Murray gifted quarters berth by Almagro retirement

Andy Murray will be well rested for his meeting with Robin Soderling © Getty Images

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Andy Murray received the simplest of passages through to the quarter-finals of the BNP Paribas Open after Nicolas Almagro retired hurt with the score 6-2 1-0 in Murray's favour.

Despite only spending 38 minutes on court, Murray continued to show signs he is playing somewhere close to his best tennis, taking six games in a row after conceding an early break in the first set.

Murray will meet the red-hot Robin Soderling in the quarters, after the Swede powered past Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3 6-4 with one of the most controlled, efficient performances of the tournament.

Almagro had come out firing early, playing his shots and getting out to a 2-1 lead by breaking Murray in the third game of the match. The onslaught only seemed to bring out the best in Murray, who first showed his resilience by breaking straight back and then his brilliance by running away with the set with an all-round display of winners, great court coverage and solid serving.

Almagro had an extended conversation with the doctor as the players rested after the first set, before they agreed they would tape his ankle. It seemed strange that such a simple resolution was reached after almost eight minutes, but any thought that mind games were at play was erased as Almagro limped through Murray's service game and then up to the net to concede.

Murray is the second-highest ranked player left in the last eight after Novak Djokovic followed Roger Federer out of the tournament earlier in the day. The Scot, who will face Soderling on Friday, was pleased to get past Almagro.

"[Almagro] is a really dangerous player," Murray said. "He has given a lot of top guys problems because he hits a really big ball. He has got a huge serve, his second serve is tough to attack and he just goes for big shots.

"When he's under a little bit less pressure, he tends to play better. He started well, but obviously I managed to break back in the next game, and felt more comfortable after that."

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