Clinical Murray dispatches Isner to reach last eight

By Martyn Herman PARIS (Reuters) - Andy Murray moved ominously into the French Open quarter-finals for the sixth time in his career with a clinical 7-6(9) 6-4 6-3 win over American John Isner on Sunday. The second seed began the tournament ranting and raving, scraping through back-to-back five-setters, but he has been a model of efficiency since and has his eyes fixed firmly on a first title at Roland Garros. He needed to fend off three set points in a pivotal opening tiebreak, but Murray always had an extra trick up his sleeve to wear down Isner's resistance and set up a clash with home favorite Richard Gasquet. "I'm pumped to be in the quarters of a slam," Murray told reporters. "Obviously, the atmosphere (against Gasquet) will be tough, but I don't mind that. I played a number of times against French players here in difficult atmospheres and I managed okay." Isner took a 0-5 career record against Murray on to a murky Court Suzanne Lenglen but he stuck manfully to his task in the first set, denying the Briton the slightest whiff of a break. The 15th seed had three set points in the tiebreak, the first of which, when serving at 6-5, he will be ruing. Murray reacted superbly to return a booming first serve and Isner failed to make the most of an inviting mid-court forehand, giving the Briton the chance to ram a backhand past him as he advanced to the net. "A bit lucky on the 6-5 point. He had a great serve; I guessed the right way on his approach shot," Murray said. Three-times Roland Garros semi-finalist Murray converted his second set point when Isner hit a forehand wide. After a rain delay, the second set proved another tight tussle before Isner cracked under pressure at 4-5 -- Murray breaking for the first time to move two sets clear with the help of a delightful angled drop shot. It was routine after that for Murray who will enter the second week supremely confident after extending his winning streak on clay to nine. "Between now and the end of the tournament, it's completely different matches. A lot more rhythm, longer points, more physical matches," a battle-hardened Murray said. "I'll need to change the way I'm playing a little bit and make some adjustments for those matches." (Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Ed Osmond)