PARIS: A fully fit again Andy Murray reached the last 16 of the French Open on Saturday with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win over Santiago Giraldo of Colombia.
The British fourth-seed will play Richard Gasquet of France for a place in the quarter-finals.
On his rest day Friday, Murray had been left fielding criticism from such as British legend Virginia Wade and French champion Henri Leconte that he had acted in an unsportsmanlike manner in his win over Jarkko Niemenen on Thursday.
In that tie he had looked down and out in the first few games, clutching at his lower back and legs and needing medical treatment three times.
After dropping the first set 6-1, Murray suddenly settled down in the second and eventually ran out an easy winner.
Many felt his actions could have destabilized his opponent whose game fell apart after the opening set.
Against Giraldo though there was no sign of the back spasms that Murray said had been the problem against Niemenen
A free-flowing Murray broke in the sixth game of the first set and fifth game of the second set to take a two sets to love lead.
Murray was not having it all his own way and fell behind 1-0 with Giraldo serving in a marathon opening game to the third set.
Games went with serve until the seventh game of the set when once again it was Murray who seized the initiative to close in on a spot in the last 16 for the fourth straight year. (AFP)