Murray, Wawrinka charge into French Open last eight

Andy Murray racked up his 650th career win to reach the French Open quarter-finals Monday where he was joined by 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka. World number one Murray, the runner-up in Paris to Novak Djokovic in 2016, brushed aside Karen Khachanov of Russia 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. However, instead of discussing the match in the traditional on-court TV interview, Murray took the microphone to remember the 29 people who died in the recent outrages in London and Manchester. Murray broke the serve of the 21-year-old Russian, playing in a Slam fourth round for the first time, on five occasions. Before Monday, Khachanov had held serve for 48 successive service games. In his seventh Paris quarter-final, Murray will face Japanese eighth seed Kei Nishikori who defeated 33-year-old Fernando Verdasco of Spain 0-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-0. Nishikori, a beaten quarter-finalist in Paris in 2015, has now made the last eight of a Slam for a seventh time, a record for a Japanese man. Nishikori stunned Murray in five sets at the US Open last year although he insisted he had little memory of it. Wawrinka, the third seed, booked a place in the quarter-finals for the fourth time with a comfortable 7-5, 7-6 (9/7), 6-2 win over Gael Monfils, the last French player in the men's draw. Marin Cilic completed the quarter-final line-up when South Africa's Kevin Anderson retired with a thigh injury trailing 6-3, 3-0. He will take a 2-11 losing record against Wawrinka into his match with the Swiss star. It is Cilic's first Roland Garros last-eight spot while he is the first Croatian to get this far since Mario Ancic and Ivan Ljubicic in 2006. Title favourite and 2014 runner-up Simona Halep trounced Spain's Carla Suarez-Navarro 6-1, 6-1 to make the last eight without dropping a set or breaking sweat. Third seed Halep, who like Pliskova can become the new world number one if she wins the title, claimed her first victory on clay in six attempts against the Spaniard. The 25-year-old Halep will tackle Ukraine's fifth seed Elina Svitolina for a semi-final place. The two met in the Rome final on the eve of Roland Garros when Halep was beaten and suffered an ankle injury which threatened her appearance in Paris. Svitolina reached the quarter-finals for the second time, ending the dream run of world number 290 Petra Martic with a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 win. However, Martic, bidding to become only the 10th qualifier to make the last eight in Paris threw away a golden chance for victory. The 26-year-old led 5-2 in the final set before Svitolina rallied to race away with the last five games.RESULTS:Men 4th rd Andy Murray (GBR x1) bt Karen Khachanov (RUS) 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 Kei Nishikori (JPN x8) bt Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 0-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-0 Stan Wawrinka (SUI x3) bt Gael Monfils (FRA x15) 7-5, 7-6 (9/7), 6-2 Marin Cilic (CRO x7) bt Kevin Anderson (RSA) 6-3, 3-0 retired Women 4th rd Elina Svitolina (UKR x5) bt Petra Martic (CRO) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 Simona Halep (ROM x3) bt Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP x21) 6-1, 6-1 Caroline Garcia (FRA x28) bt Alize Cornet (FRA) 6-2, 6-4 Karolina Pliskova (CZE x2) bt Veronica Cepede Royg (PAR) 2-6, 6-3, 6-4