Murray beats Cilic, books to spot in Wimbledon last eight

LONDON - Agence France-Presse

Andy Murray comfortably beats Marin Cilic of Croatia to advance to the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the fifth straight year. The Scottish tennis player is Britain’s best hope to win Wimbledon for the first time in decades after Fred Perry’s heyday.

Andy Murray reached a fifth successive Wimbledon quarterfinal yesterday, beating Croatian 16th seed Marin Cilic 7-5, 6-2, 6-3 as organizers scrambled to make up for lost time caused by heavy rain.

British fourth seed Murray will now attempt to go on to a fourth All England Club semi-final on the trot, but will first have to get past either Spain’s David Ferrer or former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro.

Murray had led Queen’s Club winner Cilic, against whom he was defending a 5-1 career record, 7-5, 3-1 overnight when play was suspended due to Monday’s downpours.

They played two games yesterday before more rain sent them off Court One for an hour.

But on the resumption, the Scot was rarely troubled as Cilic struggled with his opponent and the damp, chilly conditions.

Only three of the scheduled last 16 men’s ties had been completed on July 2 with Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Mikhail Youzhny able to enjoy a day-off before today’s quarterfinals.

Federer will play Youzhny looking for a 14th win in 14 matches against the Russian.

Djokovic meets Mayer

Defending champion Djokovic will tackle German 31st seed Florian Mayer, who reached the quarterfinals for the second time, eight years after his first appearance, with a 6-3, 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 win over French 18th seed Richard Gasquet.

It was Mayer’s first win over 2007 semi-finalist Gasquet since 2004 and was sweet revenge for losing a Davis Cup quarter-final rubber to the French player in 2011 after being two sets to love ahead.
Murray was playing his last 16 tie against a background of controversy after it was suggested that as the country’s best hope form a finalist since Bunny Austin in 1938 he should play all his matches on Centre Court.

“I honestly don’t care which court I play on. It makes no difference but obviously every player would rather be on Centre Court because you know you are going to get your match in regardless of the weather,” Murray said.

“I don’t think I deserve to play every match on Centre Court. It’s just annoying when the weather is bad. "

“I haven’t always dealt with rain delays that well in the past, so it’s good experience for me. Probably from now on I will play on Centre so it won’t be a problem.”