Andy Murray vs Benoit Paire: Murray survives early blip to set up Milos Raonic clash at Monte Carlo Masters

Andy Murray beat Benoit Paire 2-6, 7-5, 7-5 to reach the Monte Carlo Masters fourth round

Andy Murray is through to the fourth round of the Monte Carlo Masters (Getty)

Andy Murray lived to fight another day as he came from behind to win a dramatic third-round match at the Monte Carlo Masters. France’s Benoit Paire led by a set and two breaks and served for the match in the final set before Murray closed out a 2-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory after more than two and a half hours.

After losing in the third round of both his previous tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami, it was important for Murray not to do the same here at the traditional start to the European clay-court season. For the second match in a row he was taken to three sets by a local player, but, just as he did against Pierre-Hugues Herbert, the 28-year-old Scot again showed the mental strength to secure the win.

In Friday’s quarter-finals Murray will meet Milos Raonic, who beat Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur 6-3, 4-6, 7-6. Murray last met Raonic at this year’s Australian Open, winning in five sets after the Canadian suffered an injury in the latter stages.

Murray had never previously played Paire, a flamboyant and unpredictable ball-striker who has some of the best drop shots in the game. The 26-year-old Frenchman has an excellent backhand, but his forehand is a weakness and he does not always cope well under pressure.

Murray sprint for a return during his third round victory over Paire (Getty)

It was another glorious day on the Cote d’Azur, though the bright sunshine made serving especially difficult from one end. With both players still trying to find their form on clay, it was a match that featured many errors, though there was also plenty of exciting tennis from both men.

Paire looked in command for a set and a half. Having taken the first set with something to spare, the Frenchman went 3-0 up at the start of the second. Murray gritted his teeth, however, and as Paire started to make more mistakes the world No 2 worked his way back into contention, cutting out his errors and putting pressure on his opponent.

The deciding set was tight throughout. At 3-3 Murray held serve from 15-40 down and at 4-4 he saved two more break points before Paire made his breakthrough when the Scot hit a backhand beyond the baseline.

Murray lost the first set against Benoit Paire (Getty)

When he served for the match, however, nerves appeared to get the better of the Paire, who hit two double faults as Murray levelled at 5-5. With the world No 22 resorting too frequently to drop shots and making repeated errors on his forehand, Murray gratefully took back the initiative.

When Paire served at 5-6 and 15-15 the Frenchman put a nervous volley beyond the baseline before Murray forced two match points with a well-crafted point, hitting a volley winner after a splendid attacking forehand. The pressure proved too much for Paire, who double-faulted on the first to hand Murray the match.

“I think he played extremely well and I was a little but slow,” Murray told Sky Sports afterwards. “I’d never played him before and he has a difficult game to figure out. He comes forward, he’s a fantastic athlete, he has a great backhand. He hits a lot of drop shots and it’s not easy to get in a rhythm against him.

“He obviously started well and it took me time to start to figure out his game. He gave me an opportunity in the middle part of the second set when he started to make a few mistakes and I started to play a little bit better. It still wasn’t my best match but I fought as hard as I could right to the end and managed to get the win.”

Murray said it was important for him to get as many matches as possible on clay. Although he won two titles on clay last year, it is a surface which has been challenging for him in the past.

The Monte Carlo Country Club hosts the Masters alongside the Mediterranean Sea (Getty)

The Scot, who reached the semi-finals in Monte Carlo in both 2009 and 2011, was particularly pleased to win given the disappointments in his last two tournaments. “I lost a couple of tough matches in Miami and Indian Wells where I had opportunities to win,” he said. “Maybe you could say that today was a bit lucky, but I was actually unlucky in some matches in the last few months.

“Hopefully I can start to play a little bit better. Every win is important right now at the start of the clay season to get a feel for what’s going well and what isn’t.

“I think things did get a little bit better today as the match went on. It obviously wasn’t perfect and not exactly where I want to be, but at least now I have an opportunity tomorrow hopefully to serve a little bit better and hit the ball a bit better. We’ll see.”