The wait for a challenger to end Andy Murray's defence of his Wimbledon men's singles crown continued yesterday when the Scot dispatched yet another challenger, South Africa's Kevin Anderson, with a merciless display of clinical tennis.
Murray has repelled allcomers so far and any hope Anderson might have had, of dethroning him was dashed in three straight sets, 6-4 6-3 7-6.
Anderson only really began playing in the third set but by then the Scot had already shown him the exit.
The match was tough for Anderson from the outset. Murray asked to receive after winning the toss and immediately went about unsettling the big man's serve.
Anderson didn't get the dominant start that he enjoyed in earlier rounds as Murray found a way to cope with his big serving.
Murray went on the offensive and broke in the third game of the first set, then converting that break to take the first set.
The gradient of the climb Anderson needed to conquer steepened from then onwards. He looked somewhat like the "before" pictures of Murray - scraggly and awkward - while Murray looked almost as immaculate as the Roger Federer who reigned at Wimbledon for so long.
The difference in class was glaringly apparent. The two had been in similar leagues when they last met - at the Australian Open in 2011. Since then, Murray has pulled away, winning two Grand Slams while Anderson has won just two ATP Tour titles.
Murray played some delectable shots, none more delicious than his two-fisted backhand down the line.
He had Anderson on the ropes twice, and threatened to break again in the seventh game but Anderson got up to save the break.
Murray held serve to see out the first set and stepped on the pedal for the second.
The crowd, predictably biased, loved the fact that Murray didn't let up and showed hunger for even more success here.
Anderson was under pressure again in the first game of the second set and it told when he put a smash onto the net and went 0-40 down.
Murray broke but not before Anderson had staved off six break points.
The World No 18's spirit went with the early break and Murray inflicted another telling blow in the third game to go 3-0 up.
Despite Anderson's monstrous 185km/h serves, Murray out-aced him, with 11 to the South African's nine.
Once he had neutralised Anderson's strength, Murray simply dismantled him.
A rain break brought some temporary respite for Anderson but the beating resumed in earnest when the retractable roof was closed.
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