Nadal enjoys walkover, Federer gets in quarters in Madrid Open

Nadal enjoys walkover, Federer gets in quarters in Madrid Open

MADRID, May 14 -- World number one Rafael Nadal had an easy walkover while No. 2 Roger Federer scored a 6-2 and 6-4 win over James Blake into the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open tennis tournament on Thursday.

Nadal's opponent Philipp Kohlschreiber was forced out with a left leg injury. And sixth seed Andy Roddick also handed in a walkover as Nikolay Davydenko of Russia withdrew also with a left leg injury.

Also into the last eight were Andy Murray, who downed Spanish 16th seed Tommy Robredo 7-5, 6-1, and Novak Djokovic, who advanced with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over unseeded Italian Andreas Seppi.


Roger Federer of Switzerland returns the ball during the men's singles 3rd round match against James Blake of the USA at the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, May 14, 2009. Federer won the match 2-0.

The 13-time grand slam winner Federer who lost to Blake at last year's Beijing Olympics, broke the American 14th seed to open the match and wrapped up the victory to face Roddick in a chase of his first title this year.

Murray broke Robredo's serve in the 11th game to win the tight first set, and broke three more in the second for a comfortable win. The Briton has never won a tour title on clay, and will next play Juan Martin Del Potro after the Argentine fifth seed battled past 11th-seeded Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka 4-6, 6-4 and 6-4.

World number four Djokovic had a smooth passage against Seppi to set up a last-eight clash against wildcard Ivan Ljubicic, who battled back from a set down to beat eighth seed Gilles Simon 3-6, 6-4 and 6-3.
(Xinhua)