Jun 12, 2008, 19:03 GMT
London - Injured Andy Murray will wait until the last possible moment on Friday before deciding if he can play through the pain of an injured right thumb in a high-octane quarter-final at the Artois Championships.
The hard-luck British number one displaced his dodgy digit during a fall on slick grass during Thursday's incident-plagued defeat of Ernests Gulbis 5-7, 6-1, 6-4.
The 11th-ranked Murray was treated for the thumb, a neck problem and a groin complaint before somehow scratching out the win over his Latvian opponent.
But Murray is not prepared to risk his health against the powerhouse serve of quarter-final opponent Andy Roddick if playing will do his thumb more damage with Wimbledon starting in 11 days.
Four-time champion Roddick, seeded third, advanced 7-6 (7-5) after 58 minutes when American compatriot Mardy Fish quit with an ankle injury, another victim of the lawns after overnight rain.
'I'm not really bothered as long as I'm not going to do it more damage,' Murray said of his thumb, 'I'll try to play through the pain.
'But if it's sore when I'm gripping the racquet, then I guess I'm going to be making it worse by gripping a racquet for three sets.
'I'll just have to and wait and see what it's like when I get up in the morning and make a decision.'
Murray is cautious about injury after missing the clay and grass seasons a year ago with a wrist problem.
Roddick was concerned about the ankle problem of his good friend Fish.
'Mardy has had a trainer and has been trying to keep up his fitness,' said Roddick, now 26-5 this season. 'Hopefully this is just a two or three day thing and he'll be ready for Wimbledon.'
Fish called for the trainer after losing the first set in a tiebreaker for treatment after taking an earlier tumble on the west London lawns.
He packed it in after his medical timeout.
Roddick, who is back from injury troubles of his own after a shoulder problem forced him to skip Roland Garros, said he was surprised by his serving.
'I'm not getting as much on it as I would like, but my percentage is surprisingly good,' he said of a 78 per cent first serve percentage.
Fifth-seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet bolstered his delicate confidence after missing Roland Garros as he outdueled Croatian Mario Ancic, Croatia 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.
Croatian eighth seed Ivo Karlovic reached the last eight at the expense of Chile's number 10 Fernando Gonzalez, 6-3, 7-5, as rain-thick clouds threatened the day's programme at Queen's club.
Lleyton Hewitt, also a winner at the event on four occasions, advanced comfortably over Paul-Henri Mathieu of France 6-4, 6-4.
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