By Chris Oddo | Thursday April 14, 2016

Andy Murray got his introduction to the wild, wonderful world of Benoit Paire on Thursday at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, and the No. 2 seed—somehow—emerged with a victory.

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Murray fell behind by a set and a double-break before rallying for a 2-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory to set up a quarterfinal clash with Milos Raonic.

Raonic also needed three sets to take down Bosnian qualifier Damir Dzumhur, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(5).

Murray was down and out in his first meeting with the athletic, eclectic Frenchman but the erratic play of Paire opened the door for him as the Scot sat on the brink. Paire double-faulted to give Murray a break back in set two, but the Frenchman would threaten again when he earned a shot for another double-break 5-2 lead. But Paire did not take that opportunity, and Murray broke on a backhand error by the Frenchman to level at 4-all in the next game. Murray would later break for the set as a Paire backhand floated long.

In the third set Paire drew first blood by breaking for 5-4 but Murray would rally in the ensuing game and eventually break on another crucial double-fault by Paire.

Murray broke for the match on yet another Paire double-fault—his eighth—to close affairs in two hours and 32 minutes.

"Midway through the second set he gave me some chances and I managed to play a bit better. It was not my best match. I have lost a couple of tough ones at the last few tournaments. Maybe today was a little lucky, but I was potentially a little unlucky in the last couple of tournaments. "I was not perfect. I was not where I want to be. But now I have the chance to get better."

Raonic will face Murray for the eighth tame. The pair tangled furiously at this year’s Australian Open in their last meeting, with Murray coming away with the hard-fought victory to reach the final.

Both Murray and Raonic have played back-to-back three-setters in Monte-Carlo.

“It will be a difficult match and a match I look forward to,” said Raonic. “I’m going to need to play my best tennis and I think I can [win].”