Andy Murray booked his place in the Wimbledon quarter-finals after an epic five set win over Stanislas Wawrinka in the competition’s latest ever finish to a day’s play.
It was after half past ten by the time the Scot closed out the match, which was played under Centre Court’s new floodlit roof after a rain delay in an earlier match.
Murray was far from his best for long periods of the game and Wawrinka raced to take the opening set after the Briton failed to acclimatise to the indoor play.
But Murray recovered to take the next two sets with some impressive shotmaking, including a string of his now trademark cross-court winner.
He then broke early in the fourth but lost his way slightly as Wawrinka fought back bravely to break back, and then again to take the set with some thumping play from the front foot.
But it seemed as though the Swiss had nothing left in the tank as Murray raced into a 3-0 lead in the deciding set. But once again Murray tightened up and let the eighteenth seed back in to the match.
Eventually Murray found the extra quality needed to see off his gallant opponent, ironically his practice partner, and broke in the eighth game before serving out the next game impressively.
The world number three sank to his knees in relief as the thousands that had remained at SW19 to see him bellowed their delight.
He will now have a well earned day of rest tomorrow before returning to SW19 on Wednesday to face Spain’s Juan Carlos Ferrero, who he thrashed convincingly in the semi-finals at Queen’s club two weeks ago.
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