• AEGON Championships

Murray steps on the gas to motor past Tipsarevic

ATP Tour seedings

Andy Murray shrugged off a slow start to book his place in the quarter-finals of the AEGON Championships at Queen's with a straight-sets victory over Janko Tipsarevic.

Murray found himself a break down in both sets, but ultimately proved too strong for the world No. 31 as he clinched a 6-4 7-6(3) victory.

Tipsarevic is a tricky opponent and had beaten Murray in their last meeting in Dubai last year. Indeed, the Scot had only beaten Tipsarevic three times in six previous encounters, and the Serb had won their only clash on grass - when Murray was sent crashing out of the second round at Wimbledon in 2006.

Murray was made to pay for a sluggish start as Tipsarevic stormed to a 3-0 lead, but the British No. 1 held his nerve to claw his way back, breaking back before taking the lead for the first time at 4-3.

However, with Murray leading 5-4, the rain began to fall in West London and the players were forced off the court. When play resumed, Tipsarevic faced the unenviable task of having to serve to stay in the set, and despite an ace on his opening serve, a sloppy smash handed Murray set point, which the Scot converted, but only after a Tipsarevic challenge was overruled.

If Murray was in a hurry to wrap up the second set, he was left disappointed as once again Tipsarevic made the early breakthrough. Murray piled on the pressure, but Tipsarevic hung on, as only a pair of inch-perfect winners maintained his advantage in the set.

But as in the opening set, Murray clicked into gear when it mattered, and three games on the bounce sealed a turnaround as he twice forced Tipsarevic to serve to stay in the match, and the best the Serb could do was force a tiebreak.

With Murray desperate to avoid a third set and Tipsarevic fighting to stay in the match, both players gave everything; diving spectacularly in vain to reach passing shots. But in the end an early break from Murray proved the difference, as the Scot sealed his place in the last eight where he will meet Marin Cilic, who beat Thomaz Bellucci 7-6(3) 0-6 6-3.

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