French Open: Andy Murray beats Michael Berrer despite injury

Andy Murray recovered from a dramatic fall to beat Germany's Michael Berrer in straight sets and reach the fourth round of the French Open.

The world number four rolled his ankle chasing down a drop shot early in the second set and looked in desperate pain as he lay on the court, head in hands, before hobbling to his chair for treatment.

Murray had taken control of the match early on but his hopes for Roland Garros, and perhaps beyond, appeared in the balance as the trainer spent eight minutes strapping the Scot's right ankle.

But despite continuing to limp between points, and repeatedly grimace and look to his player's box, Murray moved well enough on his return to the action and a new tactic of going for his shots paid off as he raced to a 6-2 6-3 6-2 victory in two hours and seven minutes.

The British number one has still to drop a set in Paris and will face 15th seed Viktor Troicki in the last 16, after the Serbian defeated 21st seed Alexandr Dolgopolov in four sets.

And although Murray will not look beyond that match, with one of four unseeded players lying in wait in the quarter-finals the Scot has a tremendous chance to set up a possible semi-final against five-time champion Rafael Nadal.

Much will depend, however, on Murray's ankle and whether he can recover in time to face the all-action game of Troicki on Monday.

He had looked on course for a regulation victory on a sunbathed Court Suzanne Lenglen as he eased ahead against Berrer, the world number 95 playing in his first third round match in a Grand Slam.

An early break of serve set the tone and, after seeing off a break point for Berrer in game seven, a forehand winner down the line gave the Briton a second break and with it the set.

When Murray failed to convert six break points in an epic game of 10 deuces early in the second set he might have feared a shift in momentum, but he was well on his way to breaking at the next opportunity when disaster struck.

Sliding out wide across the tramlines to pick up a drop shot at 2-1, 40-40, Murray twisted his ankle in trying to get back for Berrer's response and let out a shriek before lying flat out on the clay and burying his face in his hands.

With the help of the trainer moments later he hopped back to the chair, throwing his racket to the ground, and the 24-year-old looked in big trouble as he shook his head and looked to mum, Judy, and his support team in the stands.

But after an eight-minute break for layers of strapping to be applied to the ankle, Murray gingerly made his way back onto court and promptly converted the break point he had earned by moving forward and throwing up a winning lob.

If all appeared to be well, the next game brought Murray supporters back to earth as their man slipped 0-40 down, screaming, "Show something! Show some passion!" as the break was handed back.

An unexpected opportunity had opened up for Berrer but the 30-year-old could not take advantage, ignoring the drop shot that had worked so well for him in the early stages and, if anything, suffering more as a result of Murray deciding to minimise his running and go for more winners.

The fourth seed raced through 10 of the last 14 games, making his way to match point with a blistering off-forehand winner and taking it when the German found the tramlines.