Andy Murray has booked his place in the quarter-final of the French Open with a four-set victory over Richard Gasquet.
The Scot started slowly but grew into the contest as the home-crowd favourite looked to run out of steam towards the end.
Gasquet started off at lightning pace, winning the first six points of the match. Murray had no answer to the Frenchman's backhand, which looked to be in fine fettle.
There were some signs that Murray was starting to get his game together towards the latter stages of the opening set, which Gasquet took comfortably 6-1.
The world number four stepped it up a gear in the second, breaking Gasquet for the first time in the match to take a 4-2 lead.
However, the warning signs were still there for Murray as Gasquet immediately broke back in the next game.
After handing Murray the second set on a double fault, Gasquet found himself completely overwhelmed by the three-time Grand Slam finalist from there on in.
By now, the 25-year-old was firing on all cylinders and blasted his way to a 6-1 triumph to take a 2-1 lead.
Gasquet did offer some resistance in the fourth set, but Murray showed touch and feel to move his opponent around the court, looking every inch a champion.
The crowd did not give Murray an easy time as he sank another Frenchman's hopes of victory at Roland Garros.
Murray's serve was powerful, as were his ground strokes. Some terrific shot-making saw the Scot create two match points while at 5-2, but he only needed one to sail serenely through to the last eight.
Michael Penkman
