Andy Murray on the march in Montreal

Andy Murray hits a forehand return to Gilles Muller during the Scots 63, 62 win in Montreal last night. Picture: Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press

Murray, playing for the third day in a row after defeating Tommy Robredo in a clash that was held over until Wednesday afternoon, made light work of Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller.

Murray, the 2009 and 2010 champion, claimed a routine 6-3, 6-2 victory in 65 minutes despite starting sluggishly and finding himself 0-40 down on serve in the opening game. He battled back to hold as Muller wasted four break points.

The world No 3, who will move up to second in the rankings if he reaches the final, took the initiative in the fourth game, breaking with a delightful lob.

Muller could not find a way back into the game as a rampant Murray made light of windy conditions to wrap up the first set inside 31 minutes.

It did not get any better for the left-hander as he dropped his serve without winning a point at the start of the second set and then again in the fifth game to gift Murray a 4-1 lead.

A mid-set lapse by Murray allowed Muller back in as he broke straight back, but three double faults by the world No 46 restored the two-break cushion for Murray, who held to book a last-eight spot against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or Bernard Tomic.

Murray was due back on court overnight in Canada alongside Leander Paes to take on his brother Jamie and his partner John Peers in the doubles.

Also in the singles, world  No 1 Novak Djokovic claimed his 50th match win of the season with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Jack Sock. The Serb, who has lost just three matches this season, dispatched the No 35-ranked Sock in 54 minutes to set a quarter-final clash with either Ernests Gulbis or Donald Young. Djokovic said: “I never played him before so it took me some time to really figure out what his patterns were of the serves, his game in general.

“I did watch him many times before, but it’s different when you’re standing on the court trying to read the rotation, especially of his forehand because he’s got a very quick wrist, very quick motion, good forehand.

“I think turning point was the 3‑2 game when I made a break. After that I just felt in control of the match.”

The 28-year-old from Belgrade is bidding to win his 25th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown this week. He has won thre times before in Canada, lifting the trophy in Montreal in 2007, 2011 and Toronto in 2012.

He has lifted six titles already this season, triumphing at the Australian Open and Wimbledon as well as clinching four of the five Masters 1000s in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo and Rome.