Thu Oct 16 17:42:21 2008

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Nadal, Federer roll; Djokovic, Roddick fall at Madrid Masters

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Madrid, Spain (Sports Network) - Reigning world No. 1 Rafael Nadal and former top-ranked star Roger Federer secured berths in the quarterfinals, while Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic and former No. 1 Andy Roddick were third-round upset victims Thursday at the $2.78 million Madrid Masters -- the eighth of nine ATP Masters Series events this year.

The top-seeded Nadal moved closer to clinching the year-end No. 1 ranking with a 6-4, 6-2 handling of 15th-seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet on the indoor hardcourt at Madrid Arena.

Federer has finished atop the ATP rankings the last four years, but an appearance by Nadal in the final this weekend would clinch the year-end top spot for the reigning Wimbledon, French Open and Olympic champion.

Nadal, who captured the Madrid Masters in 2005, will face fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in Friday's quarterfinals.

A second-seeded Federer, last year's Madrid runner-up, brushed aside 16th- seeded Australian Open runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, of France, 6-4, 6-1 and is now riding a 10-match winning streak.

The 13-time major champion and 2006 Madrid titlist Federer was upset by Argentine star David Nalbandian in last year's finale here.

Federer will face fellow Top-10 star Juan Martin del Potro on Friday.

A third-seeded Djokovic succumbed to 14th-seeded 6-foot-10 Croat Ivo Karlovic in a pair of tiebreaks, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5). Karlovic pulled off the upset in 1 hour, 42 minutes with the help of 20 aces. Neither player could manage a service break in the tight affair.

Meanwhile, an eighth-seeded Roddick pumped 13 aces but still gave way to French Open semifinalist Gael Monfils, a runner-up in Vienna last week, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in 1 hour, 39 minutes, while another upset came when the surging Argentine del Potro took out his seventh-seeded countryman Nalbandian 6-4, 6-2. Del Potro has been one of the hottest players on tour over the past few months.

Nalbandian was the reigning Madrid Masters titlist and fresh off his title in Stockholm last week. The gritty Argentine also reached a final here in Madrid in 2004.

Fourth-seeded U.S. Open runner-up Andy Murray avoided a Day-5 upset by getting past talented Croat Marin Cilic 7-5, 7-6 (7-2). Up next for the British star will be Monfils.

Another upset came when the aforementioned Lopez took out 10th-seeded Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka 6-4, 6-4, while one other third-round result saw Frenchman Gilles Simon save two match points before outlasting American qualifier Robby Ginepri 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 7-6 (8-6). Simon will encounter the massive-serving Karlovic here on Day 6.

The 2008 Madrid titlist will collect $490,000.