Nadal, Federer in last eight

MONTE CARLO: Rafael Nadal and rival Roger Federer moved closer to a potential fourth final at the Monte Carlo Masters on Thursday as both posted straight-set third round wins to coast into the quarterfinals.

Top seed Nadal, a consecutive six-time champion who is now unbeaten in 34 straight matches at the Principality, maintained his traditional momentum to see off Frenchman Richard Gasquet 6-2, 6-4.

Three-time losing finalist Federer, the No. 2, was equally ruthless as he dispatched Croatian Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-3 in 71 minutes with a break of serve per set enough to go through.

Federer won his 24th match of the season for four defeats - his last to Nadal in Miami, the other three to Novak Djokovic.

He now stands level with Djokovic for the most wins so far this season, however this week the Swiss will be mindful of the three defeats he has suffered at the hands of Nadal in the finals of Monte Carlo in 2006-08. Nadal took 93 minutes to claim what was his eighth win without a loss against 18th-ranked Gasquet.

“There were tough games at the beginning, but I won them both,” said Nadal. “In general I think I played a very solid match. I'm very happy how I played. It was better than yesterday, easier. “This was a a very positive victory against a very difficult opponent.”

Nadal next faces a seasoned campaigner in Croatian veteran Ivan Ljubicic, who upset Czech fifth seed Thomas Berdych 6-4, 6-2.

Two more Spanish seeds had mixed results in the third round, with No. 4 David Ferrer defeating Canadian breakthrough player Milos Raonic 6-1, 6-3 as the 34th-ranked youngster lost serve five times and committed 40 unforced errors in slower conditions imminently suitable to the grinding Ferrer game.

Serb 11th seed Viktor Troicki reached the last eight as Spain's Tommy Robredo retired to hand over a 3-6, 2-1 win.

Robredo suffered an adductor injury a month ago in California and was forced to miss the Miami Masters. He resumed training last week in Barcelona.

The results: Third round: David Ferrer bt Milos Raonic 6-1, 6-3; Ivan Ljubicic bt Tomas Berdych 6-4, 6-2; Viktor Troicki bt Tommy Robredo 3-6, 2-1 retired; Rafael Nadal bt Richard Gasquet 6-2, 6-4; Roger Federer bt Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-3; Andy Murray (GRB x3) bt Gilles Simon (FRA x16) 6-3, 6-3 .

Second round: Jurgen Melzer bt Robin Haase 3-6, 6-1, 6-2; Nicolas Almagro bt Maximo Gonzalez 6-7(6), 7-5, 7-6(10); Andy Murray bt Radek Stepanek 6-1, 6-4 . — Agencies