Thursday 16 October 2014 21:09, UK
Andy Murray made it through to the quarter-finals of the ATP Erste Bank Open with a hard-fought 6-4 6-4 victory over Vasek Pospisil in Vienna.
Having taken up a wild card for the tournament in a bid to boost his hopes of qualifying for the World Tour Finals, the British No 1 came through a tricky opening test in Austria.
In the first ever meeting of the duo Pospisil proved a tough nut to crack for the second seed. Indeed, had the Canadian taken his chances when they came along, he could at very least have forced a third and final set.
Instead, though, Murray claimed crucial breaks in the ninth game of each set to see himself through to the last eight and book a clash with German Jan-Lennert Struff.
Still, the Scot will know he will need to improve after escaping on five of the six occasions he faced break points on his own serve during a contest that lasted one hour and 39 minutes.
It was hard. It was the first time I played indoors since Rotterdam, which was seven, eight months ago. And it's always different to play indoors.
"It was a tricky match to start with. He serves well and is a quick mover," Murray said afterwards.
"It was hard. It was the first time I played indoors since Rotterdam, which was seven, eight months ago. And it's always different to play indoors.
"The match could've definitely been a lot closer."
Top seed David Ferrer found life a little easier against Tobias Kamke, the Spaniard – who, like Murray, took up a wild card to appear in the event, beating the German 7-5 6-1.
Fellow seeds Feliciano Lopez and Lukas Rosol both suffered surprising defeats, however.
Spaniard Lopez, seeded third, let slip a one-set lead to go down 6-7 (7/9) 6-1 6-4 to Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci, while the fifth-seeded Rosol of the Czech Republic was thumped 6-3 6-2 by Serbia’s Viktor Troicki.
