Murray eases past Khachanov into quarter-finals

PARIS: World number one Andy Murray made short work of unseeded Russian Karen Khachanov to reach the French Open quarter-finals with a clean-as-you-like 6-3 6-4 6-4 victory on Monday.

Murray largely dispensed with the chuntering and lapses that accompanied his first two matches as he maintained the momentum established in beating Juan Martin del Potro with an assured display on Court Philippe Chatrier.

The 30-year-old Briton made only one unforced error in pocketing the opening set and although he did drop serve late in the second he broke back immediately to take complete control of his first meeting with the talented Russian.

The powerful 21-year-old Khachanov, playing in his third grand slam event, showed flashes of brilliance in the sunshine but not for long enough spells to worry Murray who is through to the quarter-finals for the seventh time.

Murray broke in the ninth game of the third set, having just dropped his own with a rare baseline error, and wrapped up his 650th Tour-level win when Khachanov sprayed a forehand wide.

He will face either eighth seed Kei Nishikori of Japan or Spain's Fernando Verdasco in the last eight.

 

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