Andy Murray stutters but makes last eight of Australian Open

After four months away from the tour to rest his aching back, he could be forgiven a little impatience as he searched for his best tennis. And there was plenty of it in a whirlwind start, as he won nine games in a row to have the Frenchman reeling under the weight of his crushing ground strokes. For a while, Murray's racket could do no wrong.

Robert, a lucky loser added to the draw with 10 minutes to spare when Philippe Kohlschreiber withdrew, was determined to make the most of the experience.

In the latter stages of a match that might have ended far sooner than it did had Murray played with more diligence, there were flashes of frustration from the world No4, as he castigated himself continually for hurrying his shot. After squandering four match points at the end of the third set, he smashed his racket, a rare site.He beat the 33-year-old Robert - whom he remembers from his early days on the tour but probably will not want to see again for awhile - 6-1, 6-2, 6-7, 6-2 in two hours and 42 minutes. Murray was relieved to get the job done and will need to rediscover some calm if he is to advance in the tournament, The Guardian informs.

"He is a fun player to watch but not to play against," Murray said during the courtside interview, as Robert entertained the crowd and signed autographs. "He made it very tricky for me. He's very unorthodox. You want to close these matches out quickly if you can, but he played very well."

It was not that Murray played poorly to lose the third set, because Robert, ranked 119 in the world, was taking every chance and gift that came his way.

Murray had to save break point serving for the match - after the most extraordinary all-court rally - then wasted his final challenge on a double fault that brought him back to deuce. After saving a second break point, Murray dropped serve for the first time in the match, for 5-5, then found himself behind in the serving cycle and needed an ace to force the tie-break, a position he could hardly have envisaged at the start of the match.

His profligacy made for great entertainment for the animated crowd in the Hisense Arena, as Robert played his part in bringing the scores closer with flashes of nothing-to-lose brilliance, mixing a deft short game and going for the lines at every opportunity. Had he been able to sustain these passages of high-quality tennis, Murray would have been in danger of serious public embarrassment. Murray went 0-3 and 2-4 behind in the tie-break, then, having gone 5-4 up with two serves at his disposal, he was within a point of wrapping up the match when the Frenchman rallied yet again. He punished a short second serve to trail 5-6, and Murray pulled a forehand wide for 6-6. After another error, Murray served to save the set but he overcooked another shot from deep, challenged and was overruled.

The exertions of going shot for shot with one of the fittest players in tennis took its toll on Robert, who called for the physio to massage the lactic acid out of his legs at 1-2 in the fourth, and Murray seized his chance. He broke to love on a double fault, and held his nerve until the end, although he had to endure a couple of frustrating overrules before converting his sixth match point, Robert netting his final, weary forehand from deep.

Robert, a veteran of the Challenger circuit, who lists gambling and Russian literature among his spare-time activities, made Aus$135,000 (£72,000) in Melbourne - more than than he did in the previous two seasons combined. He will not quickly forget his moment in the sun. Murray will not want to be reminded of his part in the Frenchman's adventure.