Wimbledon: Andy Murray earns straight sets victory over John Millman to reach fourth round

Scot progressed with 6-3 7-5 6-2 win and is now favourite to win tournament for a second time

Andy Murray eased past his Australian opponent on Saturday afternoon (Getty)

Andy Murray can be guaranteed to take one match at a time over the next week but there is no escaping the fact that the world No 2 has become the clear favourite to win Wimbledon. While Murray was easing to a 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 third-round victory over Australia’s John Millman on Centre Court, the Scot’s greatest rival, Novak Djokovic, was beaten by Sam Querrey on Court One in the most unexpected Grand Slam result of the year so far.

Murray will next play either Nick Kyrgios or Feliciano Lopez. The Australian and the Spaniard will resume their third-round match on Sunday after play was halted because of fading light shortly after 9pm on Saturday with the score at one set apiece.

While Murray is seen by the bookmakers as the man to beat over the next eight days, the Scot insists that Djokovic’s defeat will have no impact on his thinking. “If I was to reach the final, then it may have some bearing, but it doesn’t right now,” he said. “My draw’s still exactly the same. The matches, in the next round especially, are tough. Nick and Feli are both very, very good grass-court players.

“The bookies don’t always get it right. They made a few mistakes over the last few weeks across a number of different things. Your job is to go out there and try to win the matches that are there in front of you.”

With Rafael Nadal absent because of injury and Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka out of the tournament, Murray and Roger Federer are the only two top-five players left in the men’s singles. Murray is through to the last 16 of his 22nd Grand Slam tournament in succession after his 49th Wimbledon victory took him one clear of the total of wins enjoyed at the All England Club by his coach, Ivan Lendl.

“I think I’m playing well,” Murray said. “Some of the tennis I played at the end of the matches, in particular the third sets of both the last two matches, has been very good.”

Andy Murray and Roger Federer are the only survivors from the top five players in the men's draw (Getty)

On another day of frequent breaks for rain Murray might have been grateful that his match was staged on Centre Court, but it was not without its interruptions. With the sun shining at the start the roof was left open, but the players had to leave the court because of rain after the first point of the second set. When they returned it started raining again within two points of the resumption, which prompted the closure of the roof for the rest of the match.

As has become customary on the second Saturday here, the Royal Box was full of major sporting figures, including members of England’s 1966 World Cup-winning team. They could only have been impressed by Murray’s performance as the Scot went about his work in convincing fashion.

Murray had won all 17 of his previous Grand Slam matches against Australians and from the moment he broke Millman at the first attempt that run never looked like ending. The world No 67, who was appearing in the third round here for the first time, had his moments, especially when he broke serve as Murray served for the second set at 5-4, but for the most part the Scot was simply too good for him.

Millman, who had lost his only previous meeting with Murray three years ago in his home city of Brisbane, went 3-0 down in just seven minutes and lost the first set 26 minutes later. However, the Australian fared better after the rain breaks at the start of the second set as the contest became much closer.

Murray failed to take two set points when Millman served at 5-3 and was broken two games later. That came after a change of ends at 5-4 during which the crowd roared when Djokovic’s result was flashed up on the scoreboard.

The Scot admitted afterwards that the news of the world No 1’s defeat had registered with him. “Obviously if you see a result or hear the fans, then you think about it,” he said. “That’s natural. That's what everyone does. You don’t just not see what’s going on and you think about it. But it wasn’t something that was going through my mind for more than 10 or 15 seconds.”

Having broken serve to level at 5-5, Millman had to defend five break-points in the following game and finally cracked, giving Murray the chance to serve out for the set. At the second time of asking he made no mistake. With the finishing line in sight Murray took control of the deciding set by winning the first four games. The Scot served out for victory with an ace.

Murray said afterwards that he still intends to play in Britain’s Davis Cup quarter-final in Belgrade against Serbia later this month, despite Djokovic revealing that he would miss the tie following his defeat to Querrey.

“My plan is to play, but I also need to see how things go at the end of this event,” Murray said. “It has been a long few months for me already. I’ve played more matches in these last few months in this period than I ever have in my career.

“I need to just assess how I’m feeling at the end of the event - and hopefully I can go a long way here. That’s what my target is. Then hopefully I pull up fine from the grass season. But I’m not basing my decision on Novak. I want to play in the tie. If I’m physically fit, I’ll be there.”

As for Djokovic’s defeat, Murray said: “Rather than it being a surprise, what he’s actually done should really be almost celebrated now. It’s incredible. He broke a number of records, winning all four Slams and 30 consecutive Grand Slam matches. It’s amazing. Obviously I would imagine today he’d be disappointed, but looking back, it’s been probably the best 12 months in tennis for years.”