Nadal next after Murray battles to last 8

(CNN) -- Britain's Andy Murray staged a stunning comeback to clinch a Wimbledon quarterfinal against Rafael Nadal after an epic five-set Centre Court battle that ended three minutes short of four hours and in near-darkness.

Murray flexed his biceps to the 15,000 capacity crowd after a dramatic 5-7 3-6 7-6 (3) 6-2 6-4 triumph over eighth-seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet had earned him a crack at second-seded Spaniard Nadal.

"It was the best moment I've ever had on a tennis court," said Murray, bidding to become the first British man to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936.

Murray hit a service winner on his second match point to reach his first Grand Slam quarterfinal, but admitted: "It looked like I was down and out. The crowd got behind me when I really needed."

Nadal, runner-up to Roger Federer for the last two years, romped into the last eight 6-3 6-3 6-1 against Russian 17th seed Mikhail Youzhny.

But he suffered an injury scare on the way after slipping on the worn turf behind the baseline on Court 1 while stretching to hit a forehand, with his right leg bending awkwardly.

After losing the point, he took a medical time-out, and a trainer wrapped his leg below the knee. He lost the next point and the game, but showed no sign of trouble and dominated the rest of the way.

"I felt a little bit of pain," the four-time French Open champion said. "I was a little bit scared. I felt something crack a little behind (the knee). But I think it's fine."

Federer also moved smoothly into the quarterfinals by beating Australian Lleyton Hewitt 7-6 6-2 6-4.

Federer will next face the last player to beat him on grass and at Wimbledon -- Croatian Mario Ancic, who won in the first round in 2002.

Ancic came from two sets down Monday to beat Fernando Verdasco 3-6 4-6 6-3 6-4 13-11. The final set alone lasted 95 minutes.

"I completely underestimated him back in 2002," Federer said. "I was a little shellshocked and didn't know what happened to me. What it taught me was not to underestimate any opponent."

Monday's success was not a vintage display by the Swiss master, even though Hewitt was hampered by a hip injury.

Once he had clinched the first set tiebreak with an ace, though, there was never much doubt that he would go on to complete a 12th successive victory against the Australian.

Hewitt had break points in four consecutive games at the close of the second set and start of the third but Federer was always able to raise his game when it mattered and raced away to complete the victory in an hour and 48 minutes.

Federer, who has not lost a set in his bid for a sixth straight event title, scraped through his first-set tiebreaker.

At seven-all, Federer mis-hit a backhand and the ball was ruled wide, but a replay showed it hit the sideline and the point was replayed. Federer then hit a backhand winner for 8-7, and an ace gave him the set.

Hewitt, the 2002 Wimbledon champion whose career has been slowed by a chronic hip injury, went 0-8 on break points.

"I saw Lleyton struggling with his hip a little bit," Federer said. "That first set tiebreaker really put me on the winning streak and after that I played consistently well."

Hewitt, who said he's not sure if he will play in the Beijing Olympics or U.S. Open because of his hip troubles, praised Federer's serve.

"He hit every line out there today," the Australian said. "That's why he's the best player around, especially on this surface. Serve is so important. He hit the target every time."

Unseeded Russian Marat Safin, a former No. 1 accounted for Swiss 13th seed Stanislas Wawrinka 6-4 6-3 5-7 6-1 and Spain's 31st-seeded Feliciano Lopez defeated the 10th seed Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus 5-7 6-2 3-6 7-6 (4) 8-6.

Baghdatis, a semifinalist in 2006 and quarterfinalist last year, squandered three match points in the fifth set.

The Spaniard, down 0-40 at 4-5, came up with big serves on all three points to avoid defeat. "He just went for it with guts, and he took the game," Baghdatis said. "Good for him."

German Rainer Schuettler ousted Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia 6-4 3-6 6-4 7-6 (4) and Arnaud Clement of France eased through against Croatia's Marin Cilic 6-3 7-5 6-2.