London: Andy Murray has come through a thrilling encounter against Italian showman Fabio Fognini to join Rafael Nadal in the fourth round of Wimbledon with a 6-2 4-6 6-1 7-5 victory.
The Wimbledon champion looked almost certain to be dragged into a fifth set by Fognini when he trailed 5-2 in the fourth, but he showed his mettle to save five set points and win five straight games to wrap up victory in two hours 39 minutes.
The momentum in the match swung dramatically with Murray breaking twice to clinch the first set before the Italian battled back in the second to level.
Britain's world No.1 regained the initiative as Fognini appeared to be struggling with an ankle injury, but the top seed's hopes of an easy route into the last 16 were smashed as the Italian came out firing in the fourth.
Fognini broke Murray in the fifth game and then had a series of set points both on his serve and the Briton's.
Yet, with the Centre Court crowd willing Murray on, he fought back, breaking twice before serving out with an ace.
"Obviously the end of the match was tense," Murray told the BBC.
"It was a very up and down match, I didn't feel like I did my best at times, it was tense but i managed to get through.
"When you're playing a guy who has all the shots like him it's difficult. He generates power with really short swings.
"I feel OK, I didn't feel like moved as well today as the first couple of matches.
"I have a couple of days' break now where I can work on that and hopefully get myself in a good rhythm and come out and play some good tennis on Monday."
Murray will face Benoit Paire of France in the fourth round.
Earlier, Spain's 'Mr Consistent' Roberto Bautista Agut reached the fourth round of a grand slam for the seventh time in his last nine attempts with a shock victory over Japanese ninth seed Kei Nishikori.
The 29-year-old proved too solid for a listless Nishikori, winning 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 3-6 6-3.
Seventh seed Cilic beat American 26th seed Steve Johnson in straight sets, while Gilles Muller, the 16th seed from Luxembourg, did it similarly easy against Britain's Aljaz Bedene.
South Africa's Kevin Anderson beat Belgium's Ruben Bemelmans 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 7-6 (7-3).
Reuters