Surbiton Trophy: Andy Murray inspired by Rafael Nadal and Marin Cilic at French Open

On Thursday, two-time Wimbledon champion Murray gained a 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-3) victory over Dutch player Brouwer, the world number 230, to reach the last eight of the Challenger Tour event in Surbiton.

“It wasn’t my best performance, but I got to play lots of important points and deal with pressure situations that aren’t the same as in practice,” Murray, the tournament’s top seed, explained.

“I have done a lot of training, practised a lot, so now I need the matches and hopefully I’ll get a bunch of matches to get me ready for Wimbledon.”

Murray won his first-round match against Jurij Rodionov 6-2 6-1 on Monday, but had to wait until Thursday to play his second match because of persistent rain in London.

He won the opening set on a tie-break after he had failed to take four earlier break points, with his Dutch opponent also missing one opportunity.

The Scot had a chance to break Brouwer’s serve in the 11th game of the second set, but the failure did not prove costly as he won the tie-break to advance.

He will play fifth seed American Brandon Nakashima in the last eight.

After Surbiton, Murray is due to play the Stuttgart Open next week and Queen’s Club later in June before Wimbledon starts on 27 June.

Elsewhere in the men’s draw, Ryan Peniston defeated fellow Briton Jack Draper 6-7 (9-11) 7-5 6-4 to set up a meeting with Finland’s Otto Virtanen.

Liam Broady lost 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 to American Denis Kudla, while Alastair Gray and Paul Jubb also suffered last-16 defeats.

In the women’s draw, Jodie Burrage progressed to the quarter-finals with a 6-4 6-4 win over Ukraine’s Kateryna Baindl.

Burrage, 23, will now meet Romanian sixth seed Mihaela Buzarnescu.