Andy Murray overcame an ugly second set to beat Tim Smyczek 6-1 4-6 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals of the Farmers Classic.

Having received a bye in the first round, Murray showed no signs of rustiness as he raced through the first set.

But his serve abandoned him in the second, before he composed himself in the third to seal the win and a last-eight tie against Colombia’s Alejandro Falla, who beat fifth seed Ernests Gulbis earlier in the day.

Falla completed a 6-4 3-6 7-6 (10/8) win in two hours 15 minutes, but felt the pressure at the end as he squandered four match points before finally finishing Gulbis off.

James Blake followed up his first win in five matches with a second as he beat Benjamin Becker 7-5 7-6 (7/5).

The American has struggled with injury and form of late and is out of the top 100, but appears to be getting back to something near his best.

“It’s a great feeling to come through a tough match,” he told www.atptour.com. “It definitely could have gone the other way pretty easily.”

Next up for Blake is a quarter-final against Feliciano Lopez, who beat Dudi Sela 7-6 (7/2) 6-4.