Wed Apr 2 00:28:45 2008

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Roddick, Federer, Nadal reach Miami QFs

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Miami, FL (Sports Network) - World No. 1 Roger Federer, second-ranked Rafael Nadal and sixth-seeded American Andy Roddick were fourth-round winners Tuesday at the $3.77 million Sony Ericsson Open -- the second of nine ATP Masters Series events this year.

The two-time Miami champion Federer got past Argentine slugger Jose Acasuso 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 on Day 7 at Crandon Park to set up a match with Roddick in the quarterfinals.

Federer prevailed in 1 hour, 14 minutes by firing 12 aces, while Acasuso committed six double faults. The super Swiss also broke Acasuso's serve on two occasions and held his own serve throughout without facing even one break point.

The reigning Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion Federer, who captured this Miami tournament back-to-back in 2005 and 2006, is still seeking his first trip to a final of any kind in 2008.

The reigning French Open champion and Wimbledon runner-up Nadal got past 16th- seeded Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-4, 6-4. Up next for the 2005 Miami runner-up Nadal will be ninth-seeded American favorite James Blake, who eased into the quarterfinals by handling 27th-seeded Czech Radek Stepanek 6-3, 6-4.

Meanwhile, fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko was also a winner Tuesday. The Russian rallied following a slow start and went on to beat Croatian Mario Ancic 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in two hours, 29 minutes.

The former world No. 1 Roddick, who titled here in 2004, needed almost as long to trump Frenchman Julien Benneteau 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. The match went two hours, seven minutes and was briefly suspended by rain.

Benneteau was hurt by seven double faults, while Roddick drilled 11 aces.

Tenth-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych blitzed Russian Dmitry Tursunov 6-2, 6-2 to setup a round-of-eight bout with 31st-seeded Russian Igor Andreev, who took out 15th-seeded Argentine Guillermo Canas 6-4, 7-6 (8-6). Canas was last year's Miami runner-up to Serbian star Novak Djokovic.

Serbian Janko Tipsarevic ousted 11th-seeded Russian Mikhail Youzhny 3-6, 6-0, 6-3. Tipsarevic will meet Davydenko in the quarterfinals.

The 2008 Miami champion will claim $590,000.