Chile’s Fernando Gonzalez capitalised on another changeable performance by Andy Murray to knock the world number three out of the French Open quarter-finals 6-3 3-6 6-0 6-4.

Gonzalez will now face Rafael Nadal’s conqueror Robin Soderling , after the Swedish 23rd seed produced another blistering display to dispatch Nikolay Davydenko 6-1 6-3 6-1.

"I guess he’s a better claycourt player," Murray said of his South American opponent.

"I think I had my chances but didn’t take them and he came up with some big shots in the mean time."

The Scot also paid tribute to his opponent’s powerful game.

"His forehand is the biggest in tennis," Murray said.

"If you look at some of the shots he’s hit, he’s hitting forehands from like a metre wide of the tramline on some points and hitting winners off them.

"Even if you try to hit a ball to his backhand, he makes his mind up that he wants to hit a forehand and he runs around it and spanks a winner. You can’t do a whole lot with it."

Gonzalez, foi his part, said his more extensive experience on clay had given him the upper hand.

"Andy, I mean, he’s a great player. But he doesn’t have enough experience maybe playing five sets on clay courts," said the Chilean, who has won eight of his 11 titles on clay.

"There is one thing I’ve always been convinced about, is that I win my matches with my serve and with my forehand. I can play well, but I win with those two shots, and that’s what’s happening at the moment."

Murray started slowly, battling to find his rhythm and save break points as early as the second game.

The Scot battled back into the game, though, and went on to hold comfortably for the majority of the set, even holding break points in the fifth game.

But it was Gonzalez who struck first, breaking in the eighth game after a double fault and a poor backhand volley from Murray that allowed the 12th seed to push down the line for a passing shot winner.

Gonzalez then served out the set with a forehand winner across court on his fourth set point.

Murray recovered by posting consecutive love service games early in the second set and breaking in the sixth game before levelling the match at the second attempt when Gonzalez hit a forehand long.

But the wheels came off almost immediately for the world number three as Gonzalez changed tactics, mixing a series of drop shots and lobs in with his explosive forehand.

The Chilean broke in the second, fourth and sixth games to claim a bagel set when Murray hit a poor smash - which actually bounced on his side of the net - in just 24 minutes.