Nadal breezes through

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:27

Nadal, who went out in the second round last year in the Eternal City, will now meet Fernando Verdasco in an all-Spanish quarter-final after he beat Richard Gasquet of France 7-5 6-4.

Novak Djokovic took another step towards defending his title by destroying Spain’s Tommy Robredo. The world number three dropped just two games in one hour and three minutes while claiming a 6-1 6-1 victory.

“I felt quite good,” said Djokovic. “I have been playing well in the last three months so let’s see if I can pick it up. I think I’m playing better than last year and moving much better on clay.”

Such a proclamation is bad news for Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro, who takes on Djokovic in the quarter-finals.

Del Potro needed three sets to oust last year’s Rome Masters runner-up Stanislav Wawrinka. The South American won the opening set in convincing fashion 6-2 but lost the second on a tie-break 6-7 (5/7) before hitting back to win the third set 6-3.

Second seed Federer avenged last year’s quarter-final elimination in Rome at the hands of Radek Stepanek by beating the Czech 6-4 6-1.

The Swiss superstar will meet qualifier Mischa Zverev of Germany in the quarter-finals. Zverev defeated France’s Gilles Simon 6-4 6-1.

Having knocked out world number four Andy Murray in the previous round, Argentinian qualifier Juan Monaco ousted Croatia’s Marin Cilic 6-4 6-4.

Monaco will face another big test when he takes on Chilean Fernando Gonzalez in the last eight. Gonzalez lost the opening set 6-3 to Austria’s Jurgen Melzer but came back to win the next two 6-3 7-5.

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