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Murray powers into
fourth round
Andy Murray overcame
a second-set wobble to beat former world number two Tommy Haas of
Germany in the third round at Wimbledon.
The British number one, 21, came through 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-2 to
reach the last 16 and give further evidence he could be a real
contender this year.
Murray won in two hours 35 minutes on a hushed Centre Court.
He will next face eighth seed Richard Gasquet after last year's
semi-finalist beat Gilles Simon 6-3, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3.
It will be the fourth time Murray has played in the fourth round of
a Grand Slam and the second at Wimbledon, following his loss to
Marcos Baghdatis two years ago.
Murray and Haas had met twice before, with one win apiece, the
German having got the better of their last encounter in Indian Wells
earlier this year.
An experienced campaigner, the 30-year-old former Australian Open
semi-finalist is ranked down at 38 after a succession of injury
problems but won his first two matches in straight sets.
Things did not look good for Murray when he lost the opening six
points, but the 12th seed remained calm and took advantage of his
first chance in game three, chasing down a volley to send a stunning
sliced backhand down the line for the break.
Another break point chance went begging in game seven but the Scot
carried on where he left off in the previous round with some fine
serving, and comfortably saw out the set in 32 minutes.
It was a similar story early in the second set as Murray again made
the breakthrough in game three with some superb returning that left
Haas struggling at the net.
A number of world-class shots followed from Murray — a drop shot
followed by a lob in game six were particular highlights - and it
came as a shock when Haas broke back.
Murray saved the first break point he faced in game eight with an
ace out wide but put a very makeable forehand pass in the net on the
second.
It came down to a tie-break and with the score on serve after nine
points, Murray hit a double fault and netted a forehand to gift a
set he should have won to Haas.
The momentum was with Haas at the start of the third but the German
missed a golden opportunity when he put a high backhand volley just
wide on break point at 1-1, before Murray saved another with an ace.
Murray was clinging on but had seen off the danger for the moment,
and Haas gave him a huge boost in the next game with a double fault
and two unforced errors handing over the break.
This time the Briton managed to hold on to the advantage and serve
out the set.
A superb running forehand pass down the line helped Murray to three
more break points at 2-2 in the fourth and, when Haas double faulted
on the third, the game was up.
Renewed confidence surged through the British number one and he was
back in the form of the first set and a half, getting another break
as he closed out in style.
"I thought it was a good match," Murray told BBC Sport afterwards.
"I maybe had the chance to win in straight sets but, apart from the
last few games of second set, I thought it was a really good match.
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