Andy Murray claims Nick Kyrgios gets a rough ride

— -- WIMBLEDON, London - Nick Kyrgios could finish these championships as the guy who ended Andy Murray's best chance for a second title, but that hasn't stopped the Briton from jumping to his defence.

The world No. 2 will face the Australian he has occasionally mentored in the fourth round if Kyrgios gets past Feliciano Lopez; their match was suspended on Saturday night for bad light with the 21-year-old at 6-3, 6-7 (2).

The winner, whoever it is, will represent Murray's toughest test here yet this year and, with Novak Djokovic no longer in his path, he will be under added pressure to capitalise.

So it is to his credit that after beating another Australian, John Millman, in the third round, he offered a sympathetic take on the negative attention Kyrgios has attracted.

"You guys try and wind him up the whole time," Murray said in his postmatch media conference after his 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 victory. "It's not really fair on him.

"When he makes a mistake, it's fine. I don't have a problem reporting on him making a mistake or doing something wrong.

"But it happens a lot where it doesn't seem like he's really done much in comparison to what other players are doing, and he's the one that gets asked all the questions about it."

Murray conceded that Kyrgios had erred at times, although he didn't comment specifically on the way the 21-year-old had hit out at an umpire and reporters on Friday.

The new favourite for Wimbledon added: "I'm sure over time he'll start to do better and understand better how to deal with all of the attention. But sometimes he hasn't done loads wrong and he's got a rough ride."

Another Australian who may claim he has had a raw deal, Bernard Tomic, found life quite easy going on Saturday as he beat Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 in less than 2 hours.

His only complaint was having two high-ranked players -- he is seeded 19 and Agut 14 -- playing on Court 17, something he said he "couldn't believe" when he saw the schedule.

However, the Australian also sympathised with the weather "chaos" Wimbledon organisers have faced.

Tomic, having achieved his aim of a quick finish, will play either Juan Martin del Potro or Lucas Pouille in the last 16 and was in confident mood.

He added: "Lleyton Hewitt would have loved to watch because I was on fire.

"I showed how good I can play on grass. Looking back to when I was 18, playing so freely and beating [ Robin] Soderling in straight sets, I think I played that level.

"He's an amazing player, and for me to beat him that comfortably just showed how I'm playing.

"Now I have nothing to lose. I'm in the fourth round, chance for a quarterfinal at the biggest tournament in the world. I have to go out there believing."