diff --git a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/web/client/match/XpathRequestMatchers.java b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/web/client/match/XpathRequestMatchers.java
index 3bc7080380..0fb49b608c 100644
--- a/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/web/client/match/XpathRequestMatchers.java
+++ b/spring-test/src/main/java/org/springframework/test/web/client/match/XpathRequestMatchers.java
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 package org.springframework.test.web.client.match;
 
-import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.Map;
 
 import javax.xml.xpath.XPathExpressionException;
@@ -31,11 +30,15 @@ import org.springframework.test.util.XpathExpectationsHelper;
 import org.springframework.test.web.client.RequestMatcher;
 
 /**
- * Factory methods for request content {@code RequestMatcher}'s using an XPath
- * expression. An instance of this class is typically accessed via
- * {@code RequestMatchers.xpath(..)}.
+ * Factory methods for request content {@code RequestMatcher} implementations
+ * that use an XPath expression.
+ *
+ * <p>An instance of this class is typically accessed via
+ * {@link MockRestRequestMatchers#xpath(String, Object...)} or
+ * {@link MockRestRequestMatchers#xpath(String, Map, Object...)}.
  *
  * @author Rossen Stoyanchev
+ * @author Sam Brannen
  * @since 3.2
  */
 public class XpathRequestMatchers {
@@ -46,16 +49,16 @@ public class XpathRequestMatchers {
 
 
 	/**
-	 * Class constructor, not for direct instantiation. Use
-	 * {@link MockRestRequestMatchers#xpath(String, Object...)} or
+	 * Class constructor, not for direct instantiation.
+	 * <p>Use {@link MockRestRequestMatchers#xpath(String, Object...)} or
 	 * {@link MockRestRequestMatchers#xpath(String, Map, Object...)}.
 	 * @param expression the XPath expression
 	 * @param namespaces the XML namespaces referenced in the XPath expression, or {@code null}
-	 * @param args arguments to parameterize the XPath expression with using the
+	 * @param args arguments to parameterize the XPath expression with, using the
 	 * formatting specifiers defined in {@link String#format(String, Object...)}
 	 * @throws XPathExpressionException if expression compilation failed
 	 */
-	protected XpathRequestMatchers(String expression, @Nullable Map<String, String> namespaces, Object ... args)
+	XpathRequestMatchers(String expression, @Nullable Map<String, String> namespaces, Object... args)
 			throws XPathExpressionException {
 
 		this.xpathHelper = new XpathExpectationsHelper(expression, namespaces, args);
@@ -66,36 +69,24 @@ public class XpathRequestMatchers {
 	 * Apply the XPath and assert it with the given {@code Matcher<Node>}.
 	 */
 	public RequestMatcher node(Matcher<? super Node> matcher) {
-		return new AbstractXpathRequestMatcher() {
-			@Override
-			protected void matchInternal(MockClientHttpRequest request) throws Exception {
-				xpathHelper.assertNode(request.getBodyAsBytes(), DEFAULT_ENCODING, matcher);
-			}
-		};
+		return (XpathRequestMatcher) request ->
+				this.xpathHelper.assertNode(request.getBodyAsBytes(), DEFAULT_ENCODING, matcher);
 	}
 
 	/**
 	 * Assert that content exists at the given XPath.
 	 */
 	public RequestMatcher exists() {
-		return new AbstractXpathRequestMatcher() {
-			@Override
-			protected void matchInternal(MockClientHttpRequest request) throws Exception {
-				xpathHelper.exists(request.getBodyAsBytes(), DEFAULT_ENCODING);
-			}
-		};
+		return (XpathRequestMatcher) request ->
+				this.xpathHelper.exists(request.getBodyAsBytes(), DEFAULT_ENCODING);
 	}
 
 	/**
 	 * Assert that content does not exist at the given XPath.
 	 */
 	public RequestMatcher doesNotExist() {
-		return new AbstractXpathRequestMatcher() {
-			@Override
-			protected void matchInternal(MockClientHttpRequest request) throws Exception {
-				xpathHelper.doesNotExist(request.getBodyAsBytes(), DEFAULT_ENCODING);
-			}
-		};
+		return (XpathRequestMatcher) request ->
+				this.xpathHelper.doesNotExist(request.getBodyAsBytes(), DEFAULT_ENCODING);
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -103,104 +94,76 @@ public class XpathRequestMatchers {
 	 * {@code Matcher<Integer>}.
 	 */
 	public RequestMatcher nodeCount(Matcher<Integer> matcher) {
-		return new AbstractXpathRequestMatcher() {
-			@Override
-			protected void matchInternal(MockClientHttpRequest request) throws Exception {
-				xpathHelper.assertNodeCount(request.getBodyAsBytes(), DEFAULT_ENCODING, matcher);
-			}
-		};
+		return (XpathRequestMatcher) request ->
+				this.xpathHelper.assertNodeCount(request.getBodyAsBytes(), DEFAULT_ENCODING, matcher);
 	}
 
 	/**
 	 * Apply the XPath and assert the number of nodes found.
 	 */
 	public RequestMatcher nodeCount(int expectedCount) {
-		return new AbstractXpathRequestMatcher() {
-			@Override
-			protected void matchInternal(MockClientHttpRequest request) throws Exception {
-				xpathHelper.assertNodeCount(request.getBodyAsBytes(), DEFAULT_ENCODING, expectedCount);
-			}
-		};
+		return (XpathRequestMatcher) request ->
+				this.xpathHelper.assertNodeCount(request.getBodyAsBytes(), DEFAULT_ENCODING, expectedCount);
 	}
 
 	/**
 	 * Apply the XPath and assert the String content found with the given matcher.
 	 */
 	public RequestMatcher string(Matcher<? super String> matcher) {
-		return new AbstractXpathRequestMatcher() {
-			@Override
-			protected void matchInternal(MockClientHttpRequest request) throws Exception {
-				xpathHelper.assertString(request.getBodyAsBytes(), DEFAULT_ENCODING, matcher);
-			}
-		};
+		return (XpathRequestMatcher) request ->
+				this.xpathHelper.assertString(request.getBodyAsBytes(), DEFAULT_ENCODING, matcher);
 	}
 
 	/**
 	 * Apply the XPath and assert the String content found.
 	 */
-	public RequestMatcher string(String value) {
-		return new AbstractXpathRequestMatcher() {
-			@Override
-			protected void matchInternal(MockClientHttpRequest request) throws Exception {
-				xpathHelper.assertString(request.getBodyAsBytes(), DEFAULT_ENCODING, value);
-			}
-		};
+	public RequestMatcher string(String content) {
+		return (XpathRequestMatcher) request ->
+				this.xpathHelper.assertString(request.getBodyAsBytes(), DEFAULT_ENCODING, content);
 	}
 
 	/**
 	 * Apply the XPath and assert the number found with the given matcher.
 	 */
 	public RequestMatcher number(Matcher<? super Double> matcher) {
-		return new AbstractXpathRequestMatcher() {
-			@Override
-			protected void matchInternal(MockClientHttpRequest request) throws Exception {
-				xpathHelper.assertNumber(request.getBodyAsBytes(), DEFAULT_ENCODING, matcher);
-			}
-		};
+		return (XpathRequestMatcher) request ->
+				this.xpathHelper.assertNumber(request.getBodyAsBytes(), DEFAULT_ENCODING, matcher);
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Apply the XPath and assert the number of nodes found.
+	 * Apply the XPath and assert the number value found.
 	 */
 	public RequestMatcher number(Double value) {
-		return new AbstractXpathRequestMatcher() {
-			@Override
-			protected void matchInternal(MockClientHttpRequest request) throws Exception {
-				xpathHelper.assertNumber(request.getBodyAsBytes(), DEFAULT_ENCODING, value);
-			}
-		};
+		return (XpathRequestMatcher) request ->
+				this.xpathHelper.assertNumber(request.getBodyAsBytes(), DEFAULT_ENCODING, value);
 	}
 
 	/**
 	 * Apply the XPath and assert the boolean value found.
 	 */
 	public RequestMatcher booleanValue(Boolean value) {
-		return new AbstractXpathRequestMatcher() {
-			@Override
-			protected void matchInternal(MockClientHttpRequest request) throws Exception {
-				xpathHelper.assertBoolean(request.getBodyAsBytes(), DEFAULT_ENCODING, value);
-			}
-		};
+		return (XpathRequestMatcher) request ->
+				this.xpathHelper.assertBoolean(request.getBodyAsBytes(), DEFAULT_ENCODING, value);
 	}
 
 
 	/**
-	 * Abstract base class for XPath {@link RequestMatcher}'s.
+	 * Functional interface for XPath {@link RequestMatcher} implementations.
 	 */
-	private abstract static class AbstractXpathRequestMatcher implements RequestMatcher {
+	@FunctionalInterface
+	private interface XpathRequestMatcher extends RequestMatcher {
 
 		@Override
-		public final void match(ClientHttpRequest request) throws IOException, AssertionError {
+		default void match(ClientHttpRequest request) {
 			try {
-				MockClientHttpRequest mockRequest = (MockClientHttpRequest) request;
-				matchInternal(mockRequest);
+				matchInternal((MockClientHttpRequest) request);
 			}
 			catch (Exception ex) {
 				throw new AssertionError("Failed to parse XML request content", ex);
 			}
 		}
 
-		protected abstract void matchInternal(MockClientHttpRequest request) throws Exception;
+		void matchInternal(MockClientHttpRequest request) throws Exception;
 	}
 
 }