Paris: World No. 1 Andy Murray made short work of unseeded Russian Karen Khachanov to reach the French Open quarter-finals with a clean-as-you-like 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory on Monday.
Murray largely dispensed with the chuntering and lapses that accompanied his first two matches as he maintained the momentum established in beating Juan Martin del Potro with an assured display on Court Philippe Chatrier.
The 30-year-old Briton made only one unforced error in pocketing the opening set and although he did drop serve late in the second he broke back immediately to take complete control of his first meeting with the talented Russian.
The powerful 21-year-old Khachanov, playing in his third grand slam event, showed flashes of brilliance in the sunshine but not for long enough spells to worry Murray, who is through to the quarter-finals for the seventh time.
Murray broke in the ninth game of the third set, having just dropped his own with a rare baseline error, and wrapped up his 650th Tour-level win when Khachanov sprayed a forehand wide.
After wining, Murray paid an emotional on-court tribute to the victims of the recent terror attacks in London and Manchester that left 29 people dead and scores injured.
He took the on-court microphone afterwards to voice his support for those impacted by the tragic events in Britain.
“Obviously there was a terrible tragedy in London, and in Manchester six or seven days ago. Paris has had its problems too in recent years,” said Murray.
“I am sure everyone will join me ... we share our thoughts and prayers with everyone who has been affected.
“It’s obviously something that has affected large parts of Europe.
“I appreciate everyone still coming out to support the tennis. I am grateful that I can still perform in front of everyone,” he added.
The Briton will meet either Japanese eighth seed Kei Nishikori or Spain’s Fernando Verdasco for a place in the semi-finals.
Murray lost to Novak Djokovic in last year’s final at Roland Garros.
He will face either eighth seed Kei Nishikori of Japan or Spain’s Fernando Verdasco in the last eight.
Rafa Nadal, meanwhile, believes referees should not be too quick to punish players who take longer to prepare between points, the 31-year-old said after receiving a penalty for slow play during his fourth round victory on Sunday.
The nine-time champion beat fellow Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut to reach the last eight but was twice warned by umpire Carlos Ramos for slow play, before being docked a serve after beaching the mandated 25-second limit between points.
“If you want to play well, you have to let players breathe a little. We’re not machines that cannot think. That’s my viewpoint,” Nadal told reporters.
“What else can I say? ... But this umpire is, I think, trying, in a certain way, to look for my faults, my errors.”
The 14-times grand slam champion believes that umpires should focus on the match rather than the time elapsed.
“Theoretically, the umpires are here to analyse the match and they are not here to use the stopwatch, otherwise we should have a stopwatch on the court,” Nadal added.
“That’s the whole point. Some dictate things or give their calls in a certain way. Other umpires have different styles.”
Nadal next faces Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta in the quarter-finals and remains on course to win the competition for a 10th time.
Novak Djokovic also became a quarter-finalist as he sauntered past Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas on Sunday.
The Serb needed 75 minutes to clinch the opening set but then outclassed the 19th seed to set up a showdown with Dominic Thiem on Tuesday.
“There’s no easy match in a Grand Slam quarter-final, it will be very difficult for both of us,” said Djokovic of his upcoming challenge.
