Murray price trimmed

Murray: Third favourite for Australian Open

Andy Murray has been cut from 9/2 to 4/1 by Sky Bet to win the Australian Open after booking a quarter-final date with Kei Nishikori.

It was another ideal day for Murray at Melbourne Park as he progressed with little effort, with his opponent Mikhail Kukushkin retiring at 1-6 1-6 0-1, while the higher seed of his potential next opponents went out in a five-setter for a second-successive time.

Having seen 14th seed Gael Monfils fall to Kukushkin on Saturday, Murray was off court after just 49 minutes to watch world 24 Nishikori oust sixth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga after 3 hours and 30 minutes in the heat.

History maker

Nishikori, who is the first Japanese player in the Open Era to make the final eight of a Grand Slam, comes in to 100/1 from 250/1 in the Australian Open outright following his win, while Novak Djokovic remains the favourite at 11/10 followed by Roger Federer (7/2), Murray and Rafael Nadal (5/1).

In the women's draw, Petra Kvitova (15/8) and Maria Sharapova (5/1) have had their prices trimmed after Serena Williams was removed from their side of the draw with a straight-sets defeat to Ekaterina Makarova, who has come in from 100/1 to 22/1.

Sky Bet's tennis odds compiler Ned Brooker said: "Things have gone as well as they possibly could have for Murray so far with the top seeds in his side of the draw dropping out.

"However, a certain Mr Djokovic still stands in his way of even making the final, while Federer and Nadal remain in the draw without a set dropped between them."