Murraymania: Suddenly there’s something for the fans to cheer as Andy flies the flag at Wimbledon

In front of a passionate Centre Court crowd, which included a number of Britain's sporting greats, Murray produced another impressive display to defeat former world No2 Tommy Haas, of Germany, in four sets.

Thousands of fans queued for hours just to sit on the grass verge which has been renamed Murray's Mount since the retirement of Tim Henman and they went home happy following the 21-year-old Scot's 6-4, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 victory.

Impressive: Andy Murray celebrates

Prince William's girlfriend Kate Middleton and England's 1966 World Cup winners, Sir Bobby Charlton and Sir Geoff Hurst, were looking on as Murray continued his bid to give British fans something to cheer about in a year in which none of the home nations qualified for Euro 2008, which reaches its climax in Vienna tonight.

Olympic gold medallists Sir Steve Redgrave, Dame Kelly Holmes and Lord Coe were also inside Centre Court and Murray said: 'Maybe I should have won in straight sets but apart from the last few games of the second set I played really well.I didn't play a very good tie-break and a few years ago that might have affected me. This time that didn't happen. Now I have to keep that up.'

Murray now faces Frenchman Richard Gasquet, a semi-final loser to eventual champion Roger Federer last year, in a fourth-round match tomorrow, knowing that victory will probably set up a mouthwatering quarter-final clash with the Beast of Barcelona, world No2 Rafael Nadal.

Despite his young age, Murray claims he is now mature enough to cope with burden of replacing Tim Henman as the country's brightest hope to bring the first success in the singles since Virginia Wade's victory in 1977.

Murray said: 'I just think that the older you get, the more you get used to everything. When I played here when I was younger, I struggled to deal with all the expectation and pressure that was on me. I've got people around me who are very supportive.'

Davis Cup captain John Lloyd also heaped praise on the young Briton. He said: 'Andy has shown in this first week that, like Tim Henman, he is going to be a man who relishes playing at Wimbledon. The tournament can inspire, or overwhelm you when you are carrying the expectation of the nation. Murray is rising to the challenge. Those who persist with the notion that Henman lacked a hard edge at Wimbledon are talking nonsense.

'Considering all the pressure he played under his record of making the semi-finals on four occasions is outstanding. But he could never be faulted for his attitude.'