US OPEN: Murray brings the curtain down on showman Brown

Posted: Saturday 4th September 2010 | 0:03

ANDY Murray might have a reputation as a hackneyed dour Scot but inside there is a showman waiting to get out.

WINNING FEELING: Andy Murray is congratulated by Dustin Brown after their match during the US Open (Reuters)

Andre Agassi was the world number four's boyhood idol and Dustin Brown - although soundly beaten 7-5, 6-3, 6-0 in the second round of the US Open - certainly appealed to the crowd-pleasing entertainer in the British number one.

Unorthodox would be the most polite way to describe the playing style of the first Jamaican to reach this stage of a Slam tournament in 36 years.

He showed no fear as he went for a series of improbable winners from all areas of the court - just not enough landed the right side of the line. Strong marks for effort, but execution - must do better.

However, Murray - who now face Stanislas Wawrinka, the best player from Switzerland apart from Roger Federer - claimed he had fun.

"He was hitting huge shots and fun shots, so I was glad to get off in straight sets," he said.

"I knew what to expect because I had spoken to few people, he's a shotmaker who tries to get the crowd on his side.

"It was certainly a bit different to most matches. In the second set I tried to take a bit more control, serve and volley a bit and I'm pleased.

"He has a whippy serve, it took me a bit of time to work out."

The first set was close but once Murray had mastered the world number 123's serve, the encounter raced towards a rapid conclusion in just one hour 24 minutes - the quick-fire concluding set lasting a blink and you'll miss it 18 minutes.

Top seed Rafael Nadal also won in straight sets but needed to fight against a determined Denis Istomin before winning 6-2, 7-6, 7-5.

"He was playing really well. He had a great tournament last week and so he was playing with confidence and I was a little lucky in the second set tie-break," said Nadal, who will now face France's Giles Simon, who came through another five setter.

Elsewhere, defending women's champion Kim Clijsters was broken early in her third round with Petra Kvitova, who beat British number one Elena Baltacha in the second round.

But she stormed back to win 12 games in a row against the Wimbledon semi-finalist in a 6-3, 6-0 victory.

"I think it's only a matter of a few little details I think in my game that I just want to improve," said Clijsters, the 2005 and 2009 champion at Flushing Meadows.

"I'm trying to achieve the perfect match but a match like this gives me more satisfaction because I beat a good player without even playing my best tennis."

Ana Ivanovic now awaits for Clijsters following her 7-5, 6-0 win over Virginie Razzano while Venus Williams lost her first two service games before crushing world 185 Mandy Minella 6-2, 6-1.