Murray reaches Australian Open quarter-finals

Melbourne: Third-seeded Andy Murray advanced to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open here at the Melbourne Park Monday with a 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 win over Frenchman Gilles Simon.

The 14th-seeded Simon took a marathon third-round victory over Gael Monfils Saturday and managed to break his World No.3 opponent twice Monday. However, Murray still made into the last eight with his eighth break after a 95-minute encounter. It was the Scot`s fourth straight-set win in a row and he will play unseeded Frenchman Jeremy Chardy in the quarter-finals before the possible semi-final match against Roger Federer. Five months after a 76-year drought for British men in Grand Slam tournaments, Murray is no track to make it two in a row, as he bids to secure a fourth consecutive semi-final berth at Melbourne Park. IANS