Nadal too strong for Ledovskikh

RAFAEL NADAL cruised into the quarter-finals of the Dubai Tennis Championships yesterday with a convincing victory over Russian qualifier Mikhail Ledovskikh.

The second-seeded Spaniard, now the tournament favourite following the first round exit of Roger Federer at the hands of Andy Murray, won 6-4 6-0.

But Nadal has plenty of work ahead in a draw with no shortage of top 10 talent if he is to claim his first title of 2008.

The world number two will face sixth-seeded American Andy Roddick in the last eight while third seed Novak Djokovic of Serbia is a potential semi-final foe.

Roddick, who won his 24th title last month in San Jose, advanced with a 6-3 6-4 win over Frenchmen Paul-Henri Mathieu to set up his fourth career meeting with Nadal, who is 2-1 in the all-time series.

The reigning Australian Open champion, Djokovic advanced with a 6-3 7-6 (7-3) victory over veteran Fabrice Santoro of France.

The 35-year-old Santoro is the last player not named Federer or Nadal to win here, doing so in 2002.

Djokovic, who lost to Federer in the quarter-finals here last season, will face Igor Andreev of Russia in the round of eight.

Andreev moved through with a 6-3 6-4 upset of seventh seed Richard Gasquet.

Murray continued his progress with a hard-fought 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7-5) win over Fernando Verdasco.

The 11th-ranked Scot, already a two-time winner on Tour this year, next will face fifth seed Nikolay Davydenko of Russia.

The world number five, Davydenko, who beat Jan Hernych 6-1 6-4, has lost his last three matches with Murray.

Also advancing yesterday were fourth seed David Ferrer and Feliciano Lopez, who upset eighth-seeded Tomas Berdych 6-2 7-5.

Ferrer beat Olivier Rochus 3-6 7-5 6-1.