Andy Murray sweeps past Fernando Verdasco at Queen’s

The top seed pinched the opening set as a tie-break loomed, before fending off a flurry of early break points to stay level in the second.

Murray then broke the Spaniard at 5-4 ahead to wrap up victory in one hour and 32 minutes.

"It was a tricky match, Fernando is an extremely powerful guy," Murray said afterwards. "Some of the shots he hits are fantastic and you don’t have a chance to get into some rallies.

"He didn't serve so well which gave me some opportunities and I thought I played a little bit better than the first match."

It was the pair’s first meeting on grass since their Wimbledon quarter-final epic in 2013, which saw Murray rouse himself from two sets behind to progress on Centre Court.

He went on to win the trophy and end Britain’s 77-year wait for a men’s champion at the All England Club.

Murray will next face Luxembourg’s big-serving Gilles Muller, who ousted defending champion Grigor Dimitrov 6-4 7-6(5) earlier on Thursday.

Muller fired an astonishing 37 aces in his first round win over Mikhail Youzhny, with Murray joking that he “hadn’t served that many in a whole year.”

Murray added: “He’s a very good grass court player. It’s going to be very tough.”

Fourth seed Marin Cilic became the latest big name to crash out after a 6-7(8) 6-2 6-3 defeat to Serbia's Viktor Troicki.

Troicki will face John Isner in the last eight after the American beat eighth seed Feliciano Lopez 7-6(5) 6-7(9) 7-6(4).

Viktor Troicki (Serbia) beat 4-Marin Cilic (Croatia) 6-7(8) 6-2 6-3

John Isner (US) beat 8-Feliciano Lopez (Spain) 7-6(5) 6-7(9) 7-6(4)

1-Andy Murray (Britain) beat Fernando Verdasco (Spain) 7-5 6-4

Gilles Muller (Luxembourg) beat 6-Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria) 6-4 7-6(5)