The defending champion and world number one needed four sets to beat Italian Fabio Fognini.

The Briton won 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 after 2 hours and 39 minutes.

Fognini, the 29th seed, had five set point opportunities to force a fifth set, but Murray won five games in a row to seal a place in the last 16 for the 11th time.

Despite Murray's victory it was a mixed day for Great Britain in the men's draw, as Luxembourg's Gilles Muller, the 16th seed, beat Britain's Aljaz Bedene 7-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Two-time champion Rafael Nadal of Spain is through to the last 16 after collecting a straight-sets win over Russia's Karen Khachanov.

The fourth seed took the first set in a just 21 minutes before eventually going on to win 6-1, 6-4, 7-6.

The shock of the day came on court three where Japan's ninth seed Kei Nishikori lost in four sets to Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut.

Nishikori lost 6-4, 7-6, 3-6, 6-3 to the Spaniard who has never gone beyond the fourth round at a Grand Slam before.

Croatia's seventh seed Marin Cilic, who beat Steve Johnson of the United States 6-4, 7-6, 6-4, will now face Bautista Agut in round four.

Great Britain's Johanna Konta powered into the fourth round of the women's singles event for the first time.

Konta, seeded sixth, won 6-4, 6-1 against Maria Sakkari of Greece.

The 26-year-old is the first British woman since Laura Robson four years ago to make the last 16 at this event.

Similarly to the men's draw, it was a mixed day for the host nation in the women's event as Heather Watson was knocked out.

Victoria Azarenka of Belarus silenced Centre Court by beating Watson 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 to progress.

Her opponent in the last 16 will be Romania's Simona Halep, a runner-up at the French Open last month, who beat Peng Shuai of China in straight sets.

Halep, second in the world rankings behind Germany's Angelique Kerber, won 6-4, 7-6.

Ana Konjuh of Croatia is also through after she ousted Slovakian eighth seed Dominika Cibulkova, who reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon last year.

At 19, Konjuh is the youngest player remaining in the women's singles draw after collecting a 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 win.