Murray battles past Wawrinka to set up Djokovic showdown

ANDY Murray came through a topsy-turvy clash against Stanislas Wawrinka at the Rogers Cup in Toronto last night to set up a quarter-final meeting with Novak Djokovic.

The British No1 seemed to be cruising when he took the first set, but Wawrinka stormed back in the second before Murray ground out a 6-2, 0-6, 6-4 win.

However, the Scot will need to play better if he is to upset defending champion Djokovic, who has beaten his good friend five times in succession – with Murray winning only 10 games in their last three meetings.

Murray broke in the first game when Wawrinka, who has been one of the revelations of the season, overcooked a forehand. The big-hitting Swiss was certainly not on top form at the start of the match and quickly found himself two breaks down as Murray established a 3-0 lead.

The pair have met on three other occasions this year, with the Scot winning both contests on hard courts but Wawrinka victorious in their last clash – on clay in the Rome Masters.

Murray swiftly made it 4-0 and the reason for the ninth seed's poor start became clearer when he received lengthy treatment to his right knee.

Wawrinka was fit enough to resume and finally broke his duck in the fifth game, although not without a struggle as Murray's faultless retrieving clearly rattled him.

The Swiss at least made Murray serve out the set, but that proved no problem for the 21-year-old.

If Wawrinka had hoped his improved end to the first set would make life easier in the second, he was initially mistaken, with Murray immediately creating two break points.

However, he could not take them and it was Wawrinka who eventually claimed much-needed first blood.

And it got better for the world No10 in the next game as his first break points brought him success on the Murray delivery – the Scot suddenly struggling with the wind.

The 23-year-old's powerful groundstrokes and attacking game were suddenly working well and he replicated what his opponent had achieved in the opening set by clinching a double break.

Murray was left wondering where it had all gone wrong and a lacklustre game allowed Wawrinka to wrap up a love set.

The Swiss made it seven games in a row at the start of the decider, although Murray at least made him work hard for it.

The British No1 still looked out of sorts mentally and needed to save two break points before finally ending his losing run.

By now, both men were playing steadily and the match was nip and tuck. But the errors returned to Wawrinka's game in the crucial seventh game and Murray moved a break ahead.

That proved to be the fillip the Scot needed and he served out the match to love.

Murray revealed afterwards he used his previous meetings with Wawrinka to maintain his motivation in the third set.

"I've played Stan quite a few times, we're really good friends, and when I have played him in the past he's struggled a bit to close the matches out so I knew I had to keep fighting and I found some first serves when I needed them and made a few key returns," he said. "But it's tough to stay focused when you're making so many mistakes."

Meanwhile, the end of Roger Federer's long reign as world No1 moved closer when he suffered a shock second-round defeat by Frenchman Gilles Simon in Toronto.

Back on court for the first time since his epic loss to Rafael Nadal in the Wimbledon final, Federer was beaten 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 and his ranking is now under serious threat from Nadal, who beat American qualifier Jesse Levine 6-4, 6-2.

The win stretched the Spaniard's unbeaten run to 25 matches.