Andy Murray beats Tommy Robredo at Wimbledon 2013
Last updated on .From the section Tennis
Andy Murray secured his place in the second week of Wimbledon with a comprehensive straight-sets win over Tommy Robredo in round three.
The second seed won 6-2 6-4 7-5 under the Centre Court roof to reach the last 16 without dropping a set.
And over Mariana Duque-Marino on the same court means Britain could still have two players in singles action at the start of week two.
Robson must return on Saturday to play Marina Erakovic, while Murray can enjoy a weekend off before he comes back on Monday to face Mikhail Youzhny or Viktor Troicki.
The 26-year-old is now three wins from a return to the final next Sunday, and in the absence of the beaten Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, is well placed to reach his fourth successive Grand Slam final.
"People are putting even more pressure on me because of the nature of how the draw has worked out," said Murray.
"It would be a lot easier if we just concentrated on each match at a time. Upsets are never far away and you have to be very focused on your game to avoid that."
Robredo, 31, has battled his way back from 471 in the world last year to his current ranking of 29 after a leg injury, but overcoming the world number two proved a challenge too far.
With the roof closed after rain began to fall as the players first made their way to court, Murray cranked up the pressure early on.
He grabbed a break in game three with a heavy cross-court forehand that Robredo could not handle, and moved 4-1 up when the Spaniard fired a forehand long.
The Scot's double break lasted only a couple of minutes as a sloppy service game followed, but a blistering backhand winner helped him to a third break and the set was his in just over half an hour.
Robredo's Centre Court debut was in danger of being embarrassingly swift when the world number two cracked a backhand past him to break at the start of the second set.
The Spaniard managed to cling on gamely, and Murray showed a rare chink in his armour as he slipped break point down while trying to serve it out, but a huge forehand that sent Robredo tumbling at the baseline saw off the danger.
Robredo had come back from two sets down in three successive matches at the French Open earlier this month, and did not crumble this time.
It took a Murray backhand volley that landed on the back of the baseline to set up the chance of a decisive break at 5-5, and Robredo netted to effectively end his challenge.
Murray saw one match point slip by when Robredo fired a spectacular forehand winner, but moments later the Spaniard failed to repeat the trick and the British number one took his now customary place in week two.
"I thought I struck the ball really well from the start of the match," said Murray. "I had a lot of winners and that was probably the most pleasing part.
"The third set was a tough one so I've been tested and come through it well. I hope I can keep playing better."
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He's a professional sportsman, not a media personality. Totally separate things. Just because our culture seems to want everybody in the public eye (for whatever reason) to have the same exhausting, endlessly upbeat persona doesn't mean that everyone is born with it. Next time I'll shove you in front of some cameras to dissect your job in minute detail, shall I?
Almost perfection!
Hahaha. Murray is going to be bald in a few years you can see a little bald patch already!!
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You shouldn't laugh, one day you might go bald yourself. Still, that's probably a few decades away yet, first you have to be old enough to grow a moustache :-)
Er, wrong. He's being touted as a Wimbledon champion because he won the US Open, Olympics and he's ranked number 2 in the world. He's also seen off three lower ranked players in solid fashion as he should do because he's currently playing so well and not giving his opponents a chance.
We have a country that people from all over the world are proud to call home. We have two fabulous players to be proud of. And we idiots hiding behind their keyboards bringing shame to us all.
simply WUMs that won't let a worn out old story lie, it's really really boring and adds nothing, they have nothing worthwhile to say
Sweeping generalisations about Murrays nature despite not knowing the man are a bit irrational, no? Notwithstanding the fact that every reason the ABM lot use to justify their dislike has been comprehensively and repeatedly debunked.
As for the match itself, consummate performance, looking as good as can be expected into Week 2.
It's people like you who give the London football supporters a Good Name!!
Come on Andy and Laura