19 August,2011 09:35 AM IST | | Agencies
World no 4 storms into quarters with 6-2, 7-5 win over Bogomolov
Andy Murray came through a challenging match with Alex Bogomolov Jr to claim his place in the quarter-finals of the Western & Southern Open.
The fourth seed looked on course for an easy win after racing ahead in the opening set, but was pushed much harder by his American opponent in the second before wrapping up a 6-2, 7-5 victory. Murray had to overcome a difficult start in his second-round meeting with David Nalbandian yesterday before recording a straight-sets victory.
Brit Andy Murray returns to USA's Alex Bogomolov during yesterday's
Cincinnati Open third round match in Ohio. Murray won 6-2, 7-5.
PIC/Getty Images
But there were few signs of nerves from the Scot today as he took the opening three games against the World No 50.
Murray then faced two break points in the next but brushed off the threat with some powerful winning forehands and an ace to take a 4-0 lead in the match.
Bogomolov Jr finally got himself on the board in game five but Murray eventually served for the set, wrapping it up with another unreturnable shot.
The 28-year-old American had won their only previous meeting in Miami earlier this year, but was struggling to find any rhythm in Cincinnati and was broken again at the start of the second set.
Murray's concentration then wavered in the next game allowing Bogomolov Jr to level, but the Scot was gifted another break and a 2-1 lead following a double fault from his opponent. Murray continued to dig deep as the set wore on and was rewarded in the 11th game with his fifth break of the contest.
World No 1 Novak Djokovicu00a0 on Wednesday night routed American Ryan Harrison 6-2, 6-3 to breeze into the third round.
Serena out in Rd 2
Serena Williams withdrew from the tournament ahead of her second-round match due to a foot problem.
Williams is on a run of 12 straight wins after successive titles at Stanford and Toronto, but the 29-year-old had aggravated an injury to the big toe on her right foot which forced her to retire.u00a0
Meanwhile, Australian Samantha Stosur defeated French Open champion Li Na of China 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in the third round after a hard-fought contest.
