Live Commentary: Andy Murray vs. Grigor Dimitrov - as it happened

Hello, and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the Wimbledon quarter-final match between Andy Murray and Grigor Dimitrov.

As we begin our coverage of what could turn out to be one of the most thrilling Wimbledon last-eight clashes in living memory (yes, I'm hyping it up a little...), the two players walk onto court to a polite reception from the Centre Court.

Murray, who is defending the title that he won 12 months' ago, has had it his own way during the first four rounds but it is likely to be a different story today. The Scot is favourite to prevail through this contest, but Dimitrov is one of the form players on the tour, and sooner rather than later, he is going to make the breakthrough at a major tournament. From a British perspective, let's hope that doesn't occur today...

Both players have attempted to divert the pressure onto their opponent's shoulders but the reality is that Murray must deal with the weight of expectation of a nation as well as that of himself. The time will come when Dimitrov will go into Grand Slam quarter-finals as the favourite, but today, he has the freedom to play his shots and really attack Murray at will. We shall see how it all pans out.

The umpire has called time on the warm-up. It will be Dimitrov to serve first. Game on!

Murray takes the first two points against serve after a couple of errors from Dimitrov, but it's noticeable that the Bulgarian isn't going to ease his way into this match. A huge forehand forces the error from Murray on the next point, before an ace out wide gets him back to 30-30. It's a fine response from Dimitrov who plays a one-two off his serve to get to game point, but Murray gets lucky with a framed return to get back to deuce. Murray brings up the first break point of the match when Dimitrov nets a backhand, but it's saved after a clever slice from Dimitrov. The Bulgarian takes the game, but Murray will be happy with the success on his opponent's serve.

Dimitrov starts the game miles behind the baseline and it allows Murray the time to dictate the points and move 30-0 ahead. A love hold is sealed when Murray forces Dimitrov to go long with a backhand.

Murray earns 15-15 after executing the perfect defensive lob, but he fails to take advantage after opening up the court on the next point. A couple of smashes from Dimitrov see him take the game.

BREAK! Murray takes the opening point, but Dimitrov demonstrates his immense power with a huge forehand from the baseline. The Bulgarian is more than sheer power, and an accurate sliced backhand forces Murray to net. Dimitrov is full of confidence, and he prevails after a baseline exchange sees Murray go long. Two break points, and the first is taken when Murray is put under pressure on his backhand side and that results in him hooking his shot wide.

Two big first serves sees Dimitrov get to 30-0, before three games points are earned when Murray nets a backhand. It's a love hold for the Bulgarian, and Murray is very much second best so far.

BREAK! This is trouble for Murray. He's being overpowered by Dimitrov, and a thunderous forehand return finds the corner to see him fall 0-30 behind. There's no spark from the defending champion, and another forehand error sees Dimitrov bring up three break points. Murray does better on the next point, but the Brit nets and Dimitrov will now serve for the first set.

SET! Murray breaks a long sequence of points lost with a stunning cross-court forehand, but a pair of errors allow Dimitrov to move two points from the set. That becomes one when Murray nets from the baseline, but Murray remains in the game by forcing his opponent to net. It's only a temporary reprieve though, and Dimitrov smashes his second game point into the corner to breeze through the first set. Murray looks extremely flat.

That's more like it! Two first serves are returned waywardly by Dimitrov before an ace takes Murray to three game points. He takes the first when Dimitrov goes long, and Murray needed that.

The two first points are shared, but Murray's timing is all off. He miscues two forehands to gift Dimitrov 40-15, but he takes his chance to ghost into the net to force a mistake out of his opponent. However. Dimitrov seals the game after a first serve out wide allows him to dictate the point.

A double fault sees Murray get off to the worst possible start,but he redeems himself with a first serve out wide. However, a second double fault of the game spells trouble for the defending champion, but he lets out a huge roar when a flat backhand helps him get back to 30-30. More positive work from Murray forces another error from Dimitrov, but the Brit goes wide to give the Bulgarian an opening at deuce. That much better though, and two forceful points help the home favourite hold serve.

Dimitrov starts the game with two big serves down the middle that aren't returned by Murray, and three game points are created thanks to another well-direct delivery. It's a love hold for the Bulgarian, and the pressure is back on Murray.

Dimitrov edges ahead when Murray hooks a backhand wide, but the Brit responds with an ace. The Brit appears to be upping his level of play and a wonderful forehand passing shot sees him earn two game points. A first-serve return is sent wide by Dimitrov, and Murray regains the lead in this set.

After conceding the first point, Murray produces some incredible defensive work but lets himself down with a stray forehand. He takes the next point, but another unforced error off the ground allows Dimitrov some breathing space at 40-15, and the game is taken with a drive volley.

BREAK! Murray smashes a routine smash into the net on the first point - a shocking mistake - but he replies with a backhand winner down the line. Something just isn't right with Murray, who records his 18th unforced error in sending a forehand into the net. He comes perilously close to double-faulting but takes the point when Dimitrov nets to get back to 30-30, but Dimitrov earns break point after some blistering shots from the baseline. This is a must-win point for Murray, and he takes it with a cute volley at the net. It's another break point to Dimitrov, though, and it's taken when Murray slices long. The defending champion is in big, big danger of going two sets behind.

BREAK! For only the second time in the match, Murray brings up 0-30 on Dimitrov's serve, but the Bulgarian responds with an ace down the middle. Another timely serve gets him back on level terms, and Dimitrov gets to game point when Murray misses with a forehand. He lets Murray get back to deuce after slicing the ball long and Murray has a break-back point when another shot goes past the baseline. Murray needs to strike here, and he does! Dimitrov goes long and we are back on serve in this second set.

Murray must hold here to retain his momentum, but a sharp return sees Dimitrov get to 15-15. A tense rally comes to an end when Dimitrov slices long, much to the delight of Murray, but the Bulgarian gets back in the game when Murray nets. Huge point here but what a point! You could cut the tension with a knife. Murray prevails after defending for the entire point but Dimitrov nets, and Murray has the game when he fires down an ace.

Dimitrov sends a routine forehand wide of the mark to concede the first point, but he is soon back level with an ace. The 23-year-old steps into court to put away a forehand for a 30-15 lead, but a huge double fault gives Murray an opening at 30-30. He survives, though, and we remain on serve.

Dimitrov takes the first point with a big return of serve, and he replicates the trick after a weak second serve. It's 0-30, and Murray is under pressure. The Brit takes the next point, but a forehand into the net gives Dimitrov two break points. Murray saves the first with a smash before Dimitrov nets on the second. It's deuce, but that soon becomes game point to Murray with a 130mph ace down the middle. Dimitrov does superbly to slide around the court to retrieve the ball but he can't stop Murray from converting a volley. Massive hold. Now, can he strike on the Bulgarian's serve...

First point to Murray, who connects with a second-serve return, but a perfect ace down the middle earns parity from Dimitrov. He mixes it up with a serve out wide that Murray can't return, and a comfortable volley at the net sees him bring up two game points. Super game from the 23-year-old, who takes us into a tie-break with an ace out wide.

Murray immediately concedes the mini-break by hooking a backhand wide, but he wins it back after Dimitrov slices long. Dimitrov takes the next point when Murray nets with a backhand, but Murray survives some miraculous defensive work from his opponent to get to 2-2. An ace out wide keeps the set on serve, and Dimitrov follows suit when Murray is too tentative when involved in a baseline rally.

That's huge from Dimitrov, who drills down a massive ace, but a positive point from Murray sees him get back to 4-4 with a smash. Dimitrov strikes through with a backhand passing shot and he has two points on serve for the set and a commanding lead. Two sets points are created by Dimitrov after he ghosts into court to put away a drop volley, and the set is the Bulgarian's after forcing a mistake out of Murray. It's a long way back for Murray now.

Dimitrov takes the opening two points with ease, but a double fault and a sharp return see Murray get back to 30-30. Murray has an opening for a backhand winner, but he is marginally off with his range, and Dimitrov takes the game with a smash.

The pair trade the most delicate of backhand drop volleys on the first two points, and an equally quality rally sees Murray convert a backhand smash. Dimitrov drives a backhand winner into the corner to get to 30-30, but a backhand volley and a Dimitrov miscue sees Murray hold serve.

Dimitrov starts with his eighth ace of the match before a forehand wrong-foots Murray and he has 30-0. Two more points in a row for Dimitrov sees him ease to the game.

Murray starts confidently enough, sending a drive volley into the open court for 30-0, but he concedes a double fault to allow his opponent back into the game. The Scot returns with a big serve out wide before a one-two off serve sees him level things up at two apiece.

Wowzers. Dimitrov blazes a routine smash long of the baseline for 15-15, but Murray fails to take advantage of a second serve on the next point. The next rally is incredible. Murray looks to have it won on a number of occasions but Dimitrov keeps fighting back before a Murray smash evades his reach. The next two points are shared, taking us to deuce, but a broken string contributes to Murray falling short in the game.

BREAK! Murray needs to find a consistently high level to have any chance in this match and a couple of solid points help him to 40-15. However, a short second serve is given the treatment by Dimitrov and the Bulgarian has deuce when Murray nets. All of a sudden, Murray looks rattled and Dimitrov has break point when he goes wide with a backhand. The game is gifted to Dimitrov when Murray concedes a double fault, and the defending champion is two games away from exiting Wimbledon.

Now then. Murray gets to 15-30 courtesy of a return winner and a double fault from Dimitrov, but the Scot slices long to give the momentum back to his opponent. Two big serves from the Bulgarian see him take the game. Murray is on the brink.

MATCH! A disappointing backhand sees Murray fall 0-15 behind, and that gets worse when a forehand is dumped into the tramlines. Murray shows plenty of desire in firing an ace down the middle, but a shocking second serve goes long and Dimitrov has two match points. The crowd attempt to rally the defending champion, and it helps him save the first point with a stunning forehand from the back of the court. The second is dumped into the net though, and Andy Murray's reign as Wimbledon champion is over.

It's a sorry end to Andy Murray's title defence, but Dimitrov was far too good on the day. Murray got his tactics wrong at the start of the match when attempting to move the Bulgarian around the court, and he was made to pay by an emphatic performance from the 23-year-old.

That will be all from Sports Mole for this match, but we hope that you stick around - we have coverage of the all-Swiss affair between Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka coming right up! Goodbye for now.