Andy Murray on course for semi-final with Federer

A relaxed Andy Murray progressed serenely into the quarter-finals of the Cincinnati masters after a regulation 6-4, 6-1 win over Radek Stepanek. The top 20 Czech player was dispatched with the minimum of effort, as Murray ignored the net-rushing antics of Stepanek to take the first set with few alarms.

The second set saw the Scot overwhelm his opponent while suggesting throughout that he wasn't even troubled enough to move up a gear against him. Murray's quarter-final will be against Julien Benneteau, a Frenchman just outside the top 50 who shouldn't delay the tournament holder for too long.

And beyond that is a potential semi-final against world No 1 Roger Federer, the man many feel Murray will eventually end up facing in the final of the US Open which begins at the end of this month at Flushing Meadows.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYINGRichard Jago, the Guardian: "Andy Murray, relaxed and aggressive, moved without alarm to within one win of a likely meeting with Roger Federer, the only man above him in the world rankings and the player whom more than any other he wants to beat at the US Open, which starts the week after next. Murray did that by overcoming the unorthodox net-rushing and disconcerting antics of Radek Stepanek, as well as a strong breeze which was a spin-off from Hurricane Bill. Completing that task, though, is now less of a priority than intensifying a belief that when it really matters he can get the better of the Grand Slam record-holder, who looked a lot more fallible than the world No2 from Scotland."

Simon Cambers, the Times: "If Andy Murray keeps up this kind of form, it is going to take someone at the very top of their game to stop him from adding the Cincinnati Masters title to the one he won in Montreal last weekend. The world No 2 was in devastating form last night as he blitzed his way to a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Radek Stepanek, of the Czech Republic, to reach the quarter-finals. The Scot is just one win away from a potential semi-final with Roger Federer, the world No 1, and with the US Open beginning a week on Monday, Murray would surely relish the chance to strike a psychological blow over the Swiss going into the year’s final grand-slam event."

Daily Mail: "Andy Murray stepped up a gear to sweep aside 16th seed Radek Stepanek and move closer to a potential semi-final showdown with Roger Federer in the Cincinnati Masters. The 22-year-old Scot produced a thoroughly convincing display to triumph 6-4 6-1 over the tricky Czech and set up a last-eight clash with Frenchman Julien Benneteau. And Murray will have been delighted with the manner of his performance in contrast to rival Federer, who was forced to come from a set down to squeeze into the last eight past David Ferrer." ·