Thu Sep 25 11:27:15 2008

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Djokovic strolls into Bangkok quarters

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Bangkok, Thailand (Sports Network) - Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic was an easy second-round winner Thursday at the $576,000 Thailand Open.

The top-seeded Djokovic drilled German qualifier Simon Stadler 6-1, 6-3 on the hardcourts at Impact Arena. The Serbian Djokovic improved to a solid 56-13 this year.

The world No. 3 Djokovic will meet sixth-seeded Swede Robin Soderling in Friday's quarterfinals here. Soderling subdued Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili 6-1, 6-3 on Day 3.

In other second-rounders involving seeds, No. 3 Czech Tomas Berdych handled Italian Simone Bolelli 7-5, 6-1, No. 8 Austrian Jurgen Melzer beat Serbian Viktor Troicki 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) and France's Nicolas Mahut upset No. 5 Finn Jarkko Nieminen 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

One other round-of-16 result saw German Philipp Petzschner down German Mischa Zverev 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 6-1.

Friday's other quarters will pit second-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga against Melzer, Berdych versus Mahut and fourth-seeded Frenchman Gael Monfils against Petzschner. Tsonga was this year's Aussie Open runner-up to Djokovic, while Monfils was a French Open semifinalist back in June.

This week's champion will pocket $94,000.