Murray reigns supreme in easy win over Gasquet

LONDON - Briton Andy Murray received the royal seal of approval after overwhelming Richard Gasquet to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Monday but the welcome he got from the scorching sun was less to his liking.

By Mark Meadows (Reuters)

Published: Mon 27 Jun 2011, 11:04 PM

Last updated: Tue 7 Apr 2015, 2:55 AM

The fourth seed, cheered on from the Centre Court royal box by Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, expertly dealt with the threat of the Frenchman in very warm temperatures to prevail 7-6 6-3 6-2.

Murray clinically took his chances while 17th seed Gasquet, who narrowly lost to the Scot in five sets at the grasscourt grand slam in 2008, squandered the few opportunities he had and never looked confident in the early tiebreak which he lost 7-3.

“It was very different conditions today. It was very quick compared with a couple days ago under the roof so it took a while to get used to that,” Murray told a news conference.

“The French Open wasn’t particularly hot and obviously the last few weeks here has been cold, too. So it was definitely a bit of a shock.”

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Unseeded Spaniard Feliciano Lopez, who knocked out Andy Roddick, awaits in the last eight but Murray is feeling confident as he bids to become the first British man to win Wimbledon in 75 years.

“There’s not been anything I’ve been really unhappy with, he added. “Today, like I said, I didn’t return well the first set but the serve’s been good. I haven’t got broken too many times.”

Gasquet has one of the most stylish backhands on the tour but Murray matched him with his equally effective, if less aesthetic, double-handed shots.

Centre Court was full if a little nervous, given the potentially large banana skin facing the Briton, with Murray Mound outside packed with fans biting their fingernails in the sunshine.

As it was, Murray strolled through to his fourth straight quarter-final at the All England club and even managed an impressive bow in front of the royal couple when heading off court to a standing ovation.

“It was just sort of off the cuff, I didn’t think too much about it. If it was funny, that’s fine, but I wasn’t intending it to be funny,” he smirked.

“If I’d known they were coming, I would have shaved. I was thinking to myself as I came off I was sweaty and very hairy. I said to them, I’m sorry, I’m a bit sweaty. But, yeah, it was really nice.”