• ATP Western & Southern Open

Murray waltzes into Cincinnati quarter-finals

ESPN staff
August 15, 2013
Murray and Djokovic through

Andy Murray's preparations for the defence of his US Open crown continue to go to plan as he reached the quarter-finals of the Western & Southern Open thanks to a victory over Julien Benneteau.

The British No. 1 will head into a grand slam as defending champion for the first time when he takes to the courts of Flushing Meadows at the end of the month, and in his latest warm-up to the final major of the season he impressed in a 6-2 6-2 win over Benneteau to safely make it through to the last-eight.

Murray looked out-of-sorts last week in Montreal in the Rogers Cup, suffering a surprise straight sets loss to Ernests Gulbis.

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However, in his second tournament since triumphing at Wimbledon back in June, Murray is aiming to peak in time for the US Open, and his win over Benneteau was all but wrapped up after the Scot danced his way to the first set.

Murray raced into a 4-0 lead and left Benneteau with no answers on the other side of the net.

When Benneteau did manage to get a game on the board, Murray was closing in on the first set, and lost only one more game to take it 6-2.

Some fine play from Murray enabled him to go 2-0 up in the second set - with a stunning backhand pass flashing past Benneteau - and at 3-1 he was cruising.

But, Benneteau was intent on getting the break back, and had his first point to do so in the sixth game.

Murray though quickly saved it, before going 5-2 up and then sealing the win with an ace down the middle.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
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