Andy Murray receives double boost in Rogers Cup ahead of quarters
Britain’s Andy Murray was handed a double boost yesterday at the Rogers Cup in Toronto as top seed and would-be opponent Novak Djokovic was knocked out before Richard Gasquet was forced to withdraw from their third-round tie.
Murray received a walkover into the quarter-finals after Gasquet pulled out shortly before the clash due to an abdominal injury, leaving the Scot fresh for his last-eight showdown today.
The 27-year-old will face Jo-Wilfried Tsonga after the Frenchman stunned world No1 Djokovic 6-2, 6-2, with the three-time champion below par and perhaps feeling the effects of his lengthy battle with Gael Monfils in the previous round of the competition.
Tsonga had lost the previous 18 sets played against Djokovic but completed a surprisingly easy victory, despite the Serbian forcing break point for the first time as the Frenchman served for the match.
Murray and Djokovic had appeared on course to meet in the quarter-finals and set up a repeat of the 2012 US Open final ahead of this year’s tournament in New York later this month.
Eighth seed Murray will take comfort from having a much more favourable hard-court record against Tsonga, recording five victories and losing just once, compared to the 10 defeats he has suffered at the hands of Djokovic.
Murray heads into the contest on the back of dispatching Australian teenager Nick Kyrgios in commanding style 6-2, 6-2 on Wednesday, in his first match since surrendering his Wimbledon crown in June.
Kyrgios hit the headlines at the All England Club by eliminating world No2 Rafael Nadal.