Andy Murray
Murray will face Kevin Anderson in the quarter final in Valencia. Getty

Andy Murray's assault on ATP World Tour Finals qualification continued with a straight-sets win over Fabio Fognini at the Valencia Open.

Murray prevailed 6-2 6-4 in 75 minutes to avenge the defeat to the Italian at the Davis Cup in Naples in April.

A sixth straight victory cements Murray's place in the top eight of the race to London rankings and he could yet jump to fifth in the standings should he win the title in Valencia.

The British No.1 faces South African Kevin Anderson in the quarter final, with David Ferrer likely to lie in wait for the winner.

Defeat for Tomas Berdych, seventh in the rankings, in round one on Wednesday to Spaniard Pablo Andujar boosted Murray's hopes of qualifying for the season ending finals in London for a seventh straight year.