8 January 2009

Top-ranked Rafael Nadal stormed into the quarter-finals of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha with a convincing win over Slovakian qualifier Karol Beck 6-1,6-2. Mallorcan cruised to victory in just one hour and dropped only three games in the match.

Nadal said “It was an important win.Yesterday, I played good and today also I played good.It's been two very good matches to start the year and I am happy with how I am playing, 6-0, 6-1 and 6-1, 6-2, I did not expect that.I can’t say if I am close to my best,” added Nadal, who won both the French Open and Wimbledon in 2008. “You can never tell whether you are at your best. You can never tell about your level.

World no 1 Nadal now faces fifth-seeded Gael Monfils of France on Thursday.
 

Swiss ace Roger Federer toiled hard to defeat Andreas Seppi of Italy,6-3, 6-3 and secured his place in the quaterfianals.

“It was a little difficult out there because he is a tough, steady player,” Federer said. “There were no free points, but I am happy to have a good outing.”"I like to play here, I have won twice and I feel comfortable," said Federer. "The conditions were better today with less wind and it was warmer."

Federer next will face eighth-seeded German Philipp Kohlschreiber

Andy Murray edged past Philipp Petzschner of Germany 6-2, 6-4 and will take on Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine. The fourth-ranked Briton broke Petzschner twice in the first set and once in the second.

            " I have played Stakhovsky before in Davis Cup and he plays a bit like Petzschner, maybe he goes to the net more often," said Murray. "I played a solid match today and I am especially happy with the way I served."

Andy Roddick battled past Arnaud Clement of France 6-3, 7-5 and will play Victor Hanescu of Romania."It was a closer second set but I feel like I was in control of the match," said Roddick afterwards.