ANDY MURRAY is giving superstition short shrift as he attempts to end his Roland Garros hoodoo.

The Scot was clean shaven as he booked his 17th consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final against David Ferrer of Spain yesterday.

That closed the book on the idea that he was taking inspiration from Bjorn Borg, the five-time Wimbledon winner who refused to shave his beard or get his hair trimmed for the duration of the tournament.

Getting past Ferrer would equal his best-ever result at the French Open, but in a notoriously superstitious sport, the World No.3 feels the hair on his chin will have nothing to do with it.

"I am genuinely not superstitious at all, having a beard or long hair or whatever doesn't have anything to do with how you play on the court," said Murray.

"Some people think it does. If you think it's going to freak you out if you shave or cut your hair then it's better you just leave it. But realistically it does not make any difference on the court.

"I was just bored," he added. "It was raining and I was just stuck in the room. It was quite a long day so I just decided to have a shave."

The Scot has a winning record against Ferrer, but in three attempts, including a quarter-final here in 2011, has never beaten the Spaniard on clay.

Waiting in the semi-final will be the winner of Rafael Nadal v Novak Djokovic, a match which is already being regarded as the biggest Grand Slam quarter-final in history.

While Nadal is chasing his tenth title in a row, the Serb still craves his first, the only major he needs to compete a career slam.

"Obviously it's a huge match any time those guys play against each other, especially in the majors or finals of the events on the tour," said Murray.

"Rafa seems to be playing very well so far. I think the conditions here suit him and he's more comfortable than anywhere else on the tour."

The Scot has his work cut out to be beat Ferrer, one of the fittest players in the tour, in temperatures which are thought likely to be in the 30s.

"It is if you allow him to dictate the points," said Murray. "But something I feel like I've done a better job on the clay this year is not playing so defensively."

Obituaries were being written for Murray's coaching arrangement with Amelie Mauresmo late last year after a heavy defeat to Roger Federer at the ATP Tour finals in London.

But his record in a year working with the Frenchwoman stands at 68 wins and 15 losses, compared to 56 wins and 16 losses in a similar time frame under Ivan Lendl.

"I think I've won more tournaments also," he said. " Like I said at the start, people are only going to say that my relationship or the work that I've done with Amelie will be a success only if I win Grand Slams.

"That is what people will judge it on but my results have been good. I'm starting to get more wins against higher-ranked players and top players which is something last year I wasn't doing.

"Hopefully it keeps going that way. But it does show that the stuff that was getting said about her at the end of last year was completely unfair and unacceptable."