ANDY MURRAY SURVIVED a dramatic fourth set to move into the Wimbledon fourth round with a 6-2 4-6 6-1 7-5 victory over Fabio Fognini.
The world number one staved off five set points to stop the match from going the distance in what was the most exciting contest of the tournament so far on Centre Court.
Leading two sets to one, Murray fell 5-2 down in the fourth but produced a stunning fightback to wrap up the match with a set to spare as the dark evening skies were drawing in.
The victory earns Murray a last-16 clash with unseeded Benoit Paire as he bids to defend his title at the All England Club.
Fognini offered some suggestion in the first set that he would not roll over for Murray and held to love with his second service game.
However, that would be the last game Fognini would win in the set, as Murray reeled off four in a row to seal the opener.
The Italian recovered to level the match by making two breaks to Murray’s one in the second, inflicting the home favourite’s first dropped set of the championship.
Fognini started to struggle with an apparent ankle issue in the third set and two breaks for the Scot – one of them to love – saw him move back in front.
But the match truly sprung to life in the fourth.
Fognini seemed to shake off the issue that had been troubling him but lost the fourth game of the set as punishment for a “visible obscenity” after appearing to suck on his index finger in frustration at a poor shot.
The world number 29 complained at the decision but did not allow it to adversely affect his game, instead going on to break Murray’s serve and then hold his own to take a 5-2 lead.
Murray was growing frustrated at his own dip in performance and had a word with the umpire about the time it was taking Fognini to serve.
The two-time Wimbledon champion did, somehow, arrest that decline to embark on a remarkable comeback that saw him survive five set points across three different games for Fognini, who at one stage sacrificed a point by attempting to challenge a line call after he had used up his allocation.
With the two players back on terms at 5-5, Murray pulled off a break that left him serving for the match, and the defending champion held to love to end a match that had looked to be heading for five sets.
STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN
Murray [1] bt Fognini [28] 6-2 4-6 6-1 7-5WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Murray – 26/16
Fognini – 44/46ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Murray – 15/7
Fognini – 3/7BREAK POINTS WON
Murray – 7/9
Fognini – 3/10FIRST SERVE PERCENTAGE
Murray – 64
Fognini – 62PERCENTAGE OF POINTS WON ON FIRST/SECOND SERVE
Murray – 74/50
Fognini – 67/41TOTAL POINTS
Murray – 121
Fognini – 99″
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