• Australian Open, Day Eight

Murray rolls into quarter-finals as Kukushkin walks

Andy Murray waltzed into the quarters © Getty Images

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Andy Murray sealed his place in the Australian Open quarter-finals as Mikhail Kukushkin retired with a hip injury while the Brit was leading 6-1 6-1 1-0.

The world No. 4 was largely untroubled against his Kazakhstani opponent, dominating the match with intelligent shot-making and court coverage. The first two sets lasted a mere 22 minutes each before Kukushkin, who had yet to hold his serve, threw in the towel in the second game of the third set.

Murray could hardly have started in more positive fashion, breaking Kukushkin to love in the opening game of the match. The Brit then held his own serve with ease, and when Kukushkin lumped a forehand into the tape in the following game, the set was Murray's for the taking.

The second set commenced in much the same way as the first, with Kukushkin again struggling on serve. However, as Murray appeared to be cruising, the fourth seed had his serve broken and parity was restored.

The setback appeared to spur on Murray, though, as he went on to blast his way through the next five games, scarcely dropping a point en route to a two-set lead. Indeed, Murray needed just one of his three set points to leave Kukushkin reeling.

After taking the first game of the third set, Murray's opponent then signalled he was unable to remain on court. Kukushkin appeared to be struggling with the heat on Rod Laver Arena during the match after defeating Gael Monfils in five gruelling sets in the previous round.

Murray will now take on Kei Nishikori in the final eight after the Japanese defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in a tight five-set match.

Nishikori showed nerves early as he played for the first grand slam quarter-final berth of his career. However, after dropping the opening set, Nishikori regrouped to win 2-6 6-2 6-1 3-6 6-3 in three and a half hours.

Tsonga made a strong comeback in the fourth set to send the thriller into a deciding set, but faded badly as temperatures soared in Melbourne. The sixth seed certainly was not helped by his 70 unforced errors as he bowed out of the tournament.

David Ferrer eased into the quarter finals courtesy of a 6-4 6-4 6-1 win over a below-par Richard Gasquet. Ferrer awaits the winner of the clash between defending champion Novak Djokovic and Lleyton Hewitt.

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