The Briton, who has now won 17 consecutive matches at the All England Club, is on course to retain his historic title after the victory under the Centre Court roof, which had to be closed in the second set because of rain.

"I think after winning it last year, the pressure of wanting to win definitely was finally released," Murray said.

"I had worked very hard for a long time in order to get myself into a position where I was able to win the Championship.

"Obviously I'm still feeling the pressure and the nerves but this year, they are completely different.

"I like having the nerves and I'm able to use them positively."

Grigor Dimitrov became the first Bulgarian man to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals ©AFP/Getty Images


Murray will now meet Grigor Dimitrov, who became the first Bulgarian man to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals after he saw off the challenge of Argentina's Leonardo Mayer with a 6-4, 7-6, 6-2 victory.

Novak Djokovic also booked his place in the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the sixth year running after he defeated France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 6-4, 7-6.

Elsewhere, Switzerland's Australian Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka won his delayed third-round match, with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 win over Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin that took just an hour and 26 minutes.

"The way I play in three sets was perfect today for me, perfect start to do it quickly," Wawrinka said.

"[I'm] playing well."

However, it was not such good news for the United States, with John Isner's defeat at the hands of Spain's Feliciano López meaning that the nation had no athletes in the fourth round of the men's or women's singles for the first time since 1911.

López will now meet Wawrinka in the fourth round after his 6-7, 7-6, 7-6, 7-5 victory.

Lucie Šafářová become the first player to reach this year's Wimbledon quarterfinal
©AFP/Getty Images


Meanwhile, the women's play saw Lucie Šafářová become the first player to reach this year's quarterfinals after a 6-0, 6-2 win over Tereza Smitková in an all Czech affair, while Canadian Eugenie Bouchard secured a 7-6, 7-5 victory over France's Alizé Cornet to reach the last eight for the first time.

Danish former world number one Caroline Wozniacki missed the chance to reach her first Wimbledon quarterfinal as she fell to Barbora Záhlavová-Strýcová of the Czech Republic.

"There was no rhythm out there," admitted Wozniacki, who was defeated 6-2, 7-5.

"I didn't serve as well as I have earlier in the tournament.

"That kind of makes it harder on grass.

"Even when I had some opportunities I made some stupid mistakes or didn't play the balls properly.

"It was kind of one of those matches...I guess sometimes that happens.

"You just have to get yourself back up and keep working and come back next time."

Czech Petra Kvitová, Germany's Sabine Lisicki and Russian Ekaterina Makarova also progressed.

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