Murray Rolls On; Muller Survives 10 Match Points

Four-time champion Andy Murray booked his spot in the Aegon Championships quarter-finals on Thursday by beating Aljaz Bedene 6-3, 6-4 in 84 minutes. It was the 18th all-British match contested at The Queen’s Club since 1977. Murray is now 27-5 lifetime at the ATP World Tour 500 tournament.

Murray will next play Kyle Edmund, who reached his second ATP World Tour quarter-final without hitting a ball when his opponent, Paul-Henri Mathieu, withdrew prior to their match due to a wrist injury. Edmund, who is part of the ATP’s Next Generation, also reached the last eight at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open (l. to Berdych) in January.

Gilles Muller saved 10 match points to beat seventh seed John Isner 6-3, 6-7(16), 7-6(7), in a match often contested in light drizzle, over two hours and 25 minutes. Isner struck 43 aces, won 86 per cent of his first service points and saved all five break points he faced. Muller hit 26 aces, winning 79 per cent of his first serves.

The second-set tie-break featured the longest singles main draw tie-break at The Queen’s Club since Goran Ivanisevic beat Greg Rusedski 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(18) in the 1997 semi-finals. The longest tie-break since 1997 had been James Ward beating Adrian Mannarino 6-2, 6-7(14), 6-4 in the 2011 quarter-finals.

Rain delayed the start of play on outside courts at The Queen’s Club by 30 minutes. Murray began his match against Bedene 70 minutes later than scheduled.