Andy Murray happy to beat John Isner at French Open and survive playing like a turnip

Andy Murray was relieved to make the French Open quarter-finals having called himself an "absolute turnip" during Sunday's battling victory over John Isner.

The 29-year-old Scot had to overcome the brutal serving of his American opponent, as well as some dodgy weather in Paris, to finally win 7-6 (11-9) 6-4 6-3.

It was Murray's sixth triumph from six meetings with Isner to set up a clash with Frenchman Richard Gasquet, who broke a new record by making the quarter-finals at his 13th attempt by upsetting fifth seed Kei Nishikori.

Isner's serve was a huge weapon, frustrating the Scot so much in the sixth game of the second set on seeing a precious break point go begging, he shouted out "turnip".

Regarding his vegetable-based self-criticism, Murray said: "I have said it a lot over the years. It's frustrating, obviously, because when we stopped on the 2-1 game I was starting to get into his service games at the beginning of that set.

"And then throughout the second set really I felt like I had a number of chances. And you never know how many you're going to get against players like Isner or [Ivo] Karlovic because of the way they serve.

"So when they come you know the importance of them, and it's frustrating, obviously, if you don't get them. But I kept hanging there and created enough and managed to take a few.

Jubilant Murray

Andy Murray battles past John Isner to make QF

"Obviously the first set was key. I didn't have any chances, really, in the first set until the tie-break. I was a bit lucky on the 6-5 point. He hit a great serve, I guessed the right way on his approach shot. That point was very important, for sure."

The victory means the world No 2 has reached at least the last eight at 20 of his last 21 Grand Slams while six appearances in the quarter-finals is the most ever by a British man.

Ultimately it was a comfortable win for Murray and the weather turned out to be not as bad as forecast, but he felt they played on for too long when the rain began to fall more heavily and argued his case with umpire Damien Dumusois.

He said: "I had asked to stop a few points before because, when you're returning his serve, you have to be very explosive, very quick, and, if you lose traction on your feet, it's very easy to tweak your groin or something.

"You can say we're trying to finish the game, but I wasn't trying to finish the game. I wanted to stop then, and then obviously it started raining extremely hard just a couple of points later.

"I know it's difficult sometimes [to know] when the right time to stop is, but I think on clay courts that the players really need to be the ones that kind of decide that.

"If they don't feel comfortable then you have to stop because it's a surface if you get that wrong you can hurt yourself."

Murray felt the grey skies and heavy balls favoured his opponent, but Isner said: "I don't think the conditions had much to do with it. I have lost to Andy on every surface. I was beaten by a better player, no doubt."