LONDON, June 28 (Reuters) - Britain’s sole survivor Andy Murray reached the last 16 at Wimbledon on Saturday after surviving his toughest test yet against German Tommy Haas.
The 21-year-old Scot, seeded 12, played some spectacular tennis to win 6-4 6-7 6-3 6-2 and move into the second week where he will face flamboyant Frenchman Richard Gasquet for a place in his first grand slam quarter-final.
Murray was cruising when he led by a set and a break before a mid-match wobble threatened to silence Centre Court and the massed ranks watching the huge screen on the hill named after Tim Henman, the host nation’s last serious challenger.
After losing the second set on a tiebreak and weathering a Haas storm early in the third, Murray regained the initiative to overwhelm Haas with a succession of flashing winners.
Three times in the past Murray has reached the fourth round at a grand slams and has always come up short but after dropping just one set in three matches so far the Scot is aiming high.
“I want to concentrate on trying to win the tournament right now,” he told reporters. “There’s a big jump obviously from the position I’m in now to getting to the final.
“It’s still three matches away and I’m going to have to beat some really tough players if I want to do that. I’m not really thinking about reaching the quarters. I’m more interested in making it to the final.”
The last Briton to win Wimbledon was Fred Perry in 1936.
LUNGING FOREHAND
A superb lunging forehand pass set Murray on the way to the first break of the match in the third game and that proved enough to take the opening set.
The 30-year-old Haas was barely hanging on to Murray’s coat tails in the second set.
Murray appeared to be toying with Haas, mixing delightful drops shots and lobs with cleanly struck winners. His serve was also regularly topping the 130 mph mark, so it was a complete shock when Haas suddenly turned it around.
The German broke out of the blue after a double-fault let him in and Murray double-faulted again at 4-5 in the tiebreak and then netted a forehand to concede te set.
Former world number two Haas looked dangerous and he twice had the chance to break again at 1-1 in the third. First he put a routine volley wide then Murray cracked down an ace to escape.
Haas wavered in the next game to hand Murray the break and suddenly the momentum switched.
Having moved into a two sets to one lead, Murray produced another improbable forehand pass at 2-2 in the fourth and a couple of points later Haas double-faulted to go behind and this time there was no way back.
“At two all in the fourth he really just played some unbelievable shots and deserved to win,” said Haas.
“He’s going to be tough to beat if he’s playing the way he is, but he’s still got a long way to go.”
SOURCE: Yahoo
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