Andy Murray repelled the power of Ivo Karlovic to progress to the quarter-finals of Wimbledon with a four-set win on Monday.

Having beaten Andreas Seppi in four sets on Saturday, Murray appeared set to face his toughest test of the tournament so far in the form of the 6' 11" Karlovic, arguably the most potent server on the ATP Tour.

Karlovic, seeded 23rd, fired down 29 aces and managed to take a set off the 2013 champion, before Murray eventually prevailed 7-6 (9-7) 6-4 5-7 6-4 on Centre Court.

Victory for Murray - who frequently used the lob to good effect against his giant opponent - sets up a quarter-final with unseeded Canadian Vasek Pospisil.

Both Murray and Karlovic were relatively comfortable on serve up until the 10th game of the first set, when a stunning forehand return from the former gave him a set point, which was quickly snatched away by Karlovic.

Murray then executed two successful lobs over Karlovic to bring up three more set points at 6-5, but again the Croatian responded with a stunning exhibition of serving.

Karlovic took a 4-2 lead in the subsequent tie-break but Murray quickly turned the deficit around and, despite seeing two further set points go begging, snatched the opener at the seventh opportunity as Karlovic fired a forehand long.

Murray carried the momentum from the tie-break into the first game of the second set, earning an early break thanks to an errant Karlovic volley at the net.

The Scot was unable to take the opportunity for a double break at 4-2 up, but it mattered not as he easily served out the set to love.

A brilliant reaction forehand enabled Murray to save a break point and hold to level at 2-2 in the third.

Karlovic refused to lie down, though, and after engineering a crucial hold from 15-40 down at 3-3, took the third set thanks to a pair of careless groundstrokes from Murray in the 12th game.

The home fans' nerves were frayed as a fourth set was forced, yet the crucial breakthrough finally came for Murray when a Karlovic volley was deemed by HawkEye to have landed narrowly out, handing his opponent a 4-3 advantage.

Murray was forced to save two break-back points by the ever obdurate Karlovic and, after squandering one match point, the contest was wrapped up for the world number three as the 36-year-old struck long.