British number one Andy Murray came from a set and a break down to beat Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka 3-6 7-6 (5) 6-1 and reach the quarter-finals at the Marseille Open but Novak Djokovic and Richard Gasquet were knocked out.

Murray advances to a last eight duel with French fifth seed Nicolas Mahut, who beat former world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero 5-7 6-4 7-6 (1).

The 22 year-old Scot, who skipped last week's Davis Cup tie for Britain due to injury concerns, started off strong breaking Wawrinka in the opening game of the match.

But the Swiss number two, who had beaten Murray in two of three previous meetings but lost their most recent match in this year's Doha final, broke back in the fifth game when the Briton hit one of his six double faults on break point.

The pair then exchanged breaks in the seventh and eighth games, before Murray was forced to save three set points on serve in the ninth eventually succumbing on Wawrinka's fourth chance to seal the set.

The Swiss, ranked 21 places below the world number 11 Murray, then seemed to take command of the match breaking the Scot in the second game of the second set.

But the Doha champion managed to break back to level at 3-3 before saving a crucial break point at 4-4.

After both players held their remaining service games, Murray was again made to come from behind in the tie-break after dropping the opening mini-break, but the 22-year-old Swiss again failed to hold the lead and Murray took the breaker 7-5.

After Wawrinka held his opening service game in the third set, Murray then rediscovered his form winning the next six games to close out the victory in two hours and 21 minutes on his third match point.

"I felt fine at first but then I started to struggle to keep the ball in court," the fourth seeded Murray said of his early struggles.

"Everybody knows Stan can get nervous when a match gets tight. I know him well because he's one of my best friends on the tour."

Australian Open champion Djokovic crashed out however, when holder Gilles Simon of France edged him 6-2 6-7 6-3.

Top seed Djokovic, apparently still suffering from the flu symptoms that forced him to retire from a Davis Cup tie against Russia last weekend, looked a shadow of his brilliant best, accumulating unforced errors.

After a clumsy first set, the Serbian world number three hinted at a recovery by saving a match point before taking the second set tiebreak.

World number 30 Simon, however, was back on top in the decisive set, during which Djokovic had his blood pressure checked by the tournament's doctor.

Simon next meets compatriot Paul-Henri Mathieu, who survived 23 aces from fellow Frenchman Michael Llodra to pull off a 7-6 7-6 win.

French number one Gasquet, seeded second, was also beaten 4-6 6-3 6-2 by Swede Robin Soderling in late action.

Gasquet started well, converting his only break opportunity in the first set, but then struggled with his serve and Soderling, who stopped the Frenchman in the quarter-finals here last year, took control.

Jeremy Stahl & / Reuters