Top-seed David Ferrer cruised into the quarterfinals after pushing aside Frederico Gil. He beat the Portuguese 6-3 6-0 in under an hour. The Spaniard will head to meet sixth-seed Igor Andreev. The Russian leads their career matchup 4-3, but Ferrer has won their last two meetings. However, Andreev has won both of their meetings on clay if that makes any difference.

Albert Montanes will await the winner of the Ferrer and Andreev match tomorrow, as David Nalbandian withdrew from the competition with an abductor injury. The withdrawal is a set back for the Argentine champion who returned to the tour this week after recovering nine months from hip surgery.

On the other side of the draw, fourth-seed Juan Monaco took care of his compatriot Juan Ignacio Chela in the battle of the Juans. He outlasted Chela 7-6(2) 4-6 6-2 after 2 hours and 46 minutes of play. Monaco will play another Argentine, Horacio Zeballos in the quarterfinals.

Monaco is on a collision course with Juan Carlos Ferrero. The two could meet on Saturday in the semifinals.

Thursday’s Results
Singles Second Round
1 David Ferrer (ESP) def. Frederico Gil (POR) 6-3 6-0
4 Juan Monaco (ARG) def. Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG) 7-6(2) 4-6 6-2
6 Igor Andreev (RUS) def. Marcel Granollers (ESP) 3-6 6-3 6-4
8 Horacio Zeballos (ARG) def. WC Carlos Moya (ESP) 6-4 6-4

Singles Quarterfinals
5 Albert Montanes (ESP) def. David Nalbandian (ARG) walkover (right abductor)

Doubles Quarterfinals
S. Greul (GER)/P. Luczak (AUS) def. 1 P. Cuevas (URU)/M. Granollers (ESP) 6-3 6-4
D. Ferrer (ESP)/R. Ramirez Hidalgo (ESP) def. I. Andreev (RUS)/D. Gimeno-Traver (ESP) 6-2 7-5
N. Almagro (ESP)/S. Ventura (ESP) def. D. Koellerer (AUT)/O. Marach (AUT) 5-7 6-1 10-7

Friday’s Order of Play

(Images: Copa Telmex)

Preview: Estoril Open
City: Estoril, Portugal
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Championship Points: 250
2008 Singles Champion: Roger Federer
2008 Doubles Champions: Jeff Coetzee and Wesley Moodie

Roger Federer will not defend his title this year. Gilles Simon was given a wildcard and now is the top seed. This is a good opportunity for the Frenchman to get his season on track. He has a good shot since his quarter of the draw is pretty easy. Simon will have to contend with David Ferrer should he make it to the semifinals.

Ferrer has the harder road to the semifinals since he has to pass David Nalbandian in the quarterfinals. Nalbandian had to pull out of the Barcelona quarterfinals due to injury, and there have been reports of an impending hip surgery. If he is healthy, Nalbandian could give the Spaniard trouble all day, as he won this tournament in 2002 and 2006.

The bottom half of the draw is anchored by Nikolay Davydenko, who won the title in 2003. The Russian played well in Barcelona, but he could have to contend with Juan Monaco in the semifinals. Monaco is looking to breakthrough this year, so this could be the week. The Argentine could possibly have to deal with the native favorite Federico Gil in the quarterfinals. Gil has been known to cause trouble and will be helped by the Portuguese crowd.

It is good to see veterans and former French Open champions Juan Carlos Ferrero and Gaston Gaudio in the tournament. Ferrero could meet Davydenko in the second round, and Gaudio, who just won a challenger tournament in Tunisia this weekend, could meet Simon in the second round.

Tournament Draw
Singles / Doubles

Monday’s Order of Play

(Image: AFP/Getty Images)

Last time Federico Gil and Rafael Nadal met, Gil gave Nadal trouble in the first set in Miami. Nadal eventually won in straight sets. Now on clay, Nadal had no trouble dismissing the 24-year-old from Portugal 6-2 6-2. Nadal will play Belgian Christophe Rochus, who surprisingly upset Richard Gasquet, in the round of 16.

At the end of the day all the singles seeds advanced to the round of 16, except Robin Soderling and Richard Gasquet. It was not true on the doubles side. Top-seeds the Bryan brothers were the only seeded team to advance to the next round, as well as fourth-seeds Mahesh Bhuthi and Mark Knowles. The brothers had no trouble sending Travis Parrott and Filip Polasek packing (pictured right) 6-3 6-4. They will play Lukasz Kubot and Oliver Marach in the quarterfinals.

(Images: Getty Images)

Juan Carlos Ferrero did it again. He beat Potito Starace 6-4 7-6(1) and now has advanced into the quarterfinals to play Victor Hanescu, who beat Ivan Navarro in straight sets. The two players have never played in an ATP event. Let’s hope there are no surprises in the next round.

Federico Gil rallied to beat Ivan Ljubicic 5-7 6-3 7-5. The Portuguese troublemaker gave Rafael Nadal a run for his money in the first set of their Indian Wells match. He is currently enjoying a career-high ATP ranking of 70 and will face Albert Montanes in the next round. The two have yet to meet in an ATP event.

Wednesday’s Matches
Singles Second Round
3 Albert Montanes (ESP) def. Santiago Ventura (ESP) 5-7 6-3 7-5
4 Victor Hanesco (ROU) def. Ivan Navarro (ESP) 6-1 6-0
Frederico Gil (POR) def. Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) 6-7(2) 7-5 6-4
Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) def. Potito Starace (ITA) 6-4 7-6(1)

Doubles Second Round
1 L. Kubot (POL)/O. Marach (AUT) def. N. Devilder (FRA)/C. Rochus (BEL) 7-5 6-4
L. Friedl (CZE)/D. Skoch (CZE) def. WC R. Chaki (MAR)/R. El Amrani (MAR) 6-7(6) 6-3 10-2
A. Montanes (ESP)/S. Ventura (ESP) def. WC M. Saber (MAR)/M. Ziadi (MAR) 6-4 6-3

Doubles Quarterfinals
2 S. Aspelin (SWE)/P. Hanley (AUS) def. T. Bellucci (BRA)/E. Butorac (USA) 6-3 6-3
3 C. Kas (GER)/R. Wassen (NED) def. F. Gil (POR)/H. Tecau (ROU) 7-6(3) 6-2

Thursday's Matches
Singles Second Round
Mischa Zverev (GER) vs. Marc Gicquel (FRA)
Igor Andreev (RUS) vs. Nicolas Devilder (FRA)
Florent Serra (FRA) vs. Olivier Rochus (BEL)
Teimuraz Gabashvili (RUS) vs. Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo (ESP)

Doubles Quarterfinals
J. Brunstrom (SWE)/J.J. Rojer (AHO) vs. D. Skoch (CZE)/L Friedl (CZE)
L. Kubot (POL)/O. Marach (AUT) vs. A. Montanes (ESP)/S. Ventura (ESP)

Doubles Semifinals
3 C. Kas (GER)/R. Wassen (NED) vs. 2 S. Aspelin (SWE)/P. Hanley (AUS)

Thursday's Order of Play

(Image: El Khiat)

Thomaz Bellucci and Sergiy Stakhoysky turned out to be no trouble at all because they both lost today. Federico Gil survived a three setter against Alberto Martin, so he lives to cause trouble another day. He will play Ivan Ljubicic in the next round, who took care of Arnaud Clement in three sets. The two players have never met in an ATP event.

Monday’s Results
Qualifying Third Round
Santiago Ventura (ESP) def. Carlos Poch-Gradin (ESP) 6-3 6-1
Flavio Cipolla (ITA) def. Lamine Ouahab (ALG) 7-6(9) 4-0 Ret’d
Olivier Marach (AUT) def. Olivier Patience (FRA) 6-7(4) 6-4 6-1
Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo (ESP) def. Boris Pashanki (SRB) 6-1 6-2

Singles First Round
Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) def. 8 Arnaud Clement (FRA) 7-6(6) 5-7 6-4
4 Victor Hanescu (ROU) def. Steve Darcis (BEL) 6-4 7-5
5 Florent Serra (FRA) def. Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) 6-3 6-3
Frederico Gil (POR) def. Alberto Martin (ESP) 6-3 3-6 7-6(4)
Ivan Navarro (ESP) def. Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) 7-5 4-2 Ret’d wrist

Doubles First Round
S. Aspelin (SWE)/ P. Hanley (AUS) def. O. Hernandez (ESP)/A. Martin (ESP) 6-3 6-7(5) 10-6

Tuesday's Matches
Singles First Round
1 Igor Andreev (RUS) vs. WC Rabie Chaki (MAR)
2 Rainer Schulettler (GER) vs. Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo (ESP)
3 Albert Montanes (ESP) vs. WC Reda El Amrani (MAR)
6 Marc Gicquel (FRA) vs. Kristof Vliegen (BEL)
Olivier Rochus (BEL) vs. WC Mehdi Ziadi (MAR)
Potito Starace (ITA) vs. Oscar Hernandez (ESP)
Fabio Fognini (ITA) vs.Teimuraz GABASHVILI (RUS)
Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) vs. 7 Christophe Rochus (BEL)
Santiago Ventura (ESP) vs. Oliver Marach (AUT)
Nicolas Devilder (FRA) vs. Daniel Koellerer (AUT)
Mischa Zverev (GER) vs. Flavio Cipolla (ITA)

Doubles First Round
J. Brunstrom (SWE)/J.J. Rojer (AHO) vs. T. Gabashvili (RUS)/S. Stakhovsky (UKR)
R. Bopanna (IND)/L/ Zovko (CRO) vs. T. Bellucci/E. Butorac
F. Gil (POR)/ H. Tecau (ROU) vs. M. Gicquel (FRA)/F. Serra(FRA)
Y. Allegro (SUI)/A. Clement (FRA) vs. C. Kas (GER)/R. Wassen (NED)

Tuesday's Order of Play

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(Image: El Khiat)

City: Casablanca, Morocco
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Championship Points: 250
2008 Singles Champion: Gilles Simon
2008 Doubles Champions: Albert Montanes/Santiago Ventura

Gilles Simon will not defend his title and will take a much needed break from the tour. Igor Andreev and Ivan Ljubicic will most likely fill the void. Juan Carlos Ferrero returns from being out with an injury, so let’s hope he advances deep in the draw because he needs the points. Also, look out for Thomaz Bellucci, Sergiy Stakhovsky and Frederico Gil as possible troublemakers.

On the doubles side, Albert Montanes and Santiago Ventura will defend their doubles title. They will have to contend with the top Euro teams - Kubot/Marach, Kas Wassen, and Aspelin/Hanley.

Tournament Draw
Singles / Doubles

Monday’s Matches
Qualifying Third Round
Santiago Ventura (ESP) vs. Carlos Poch-Gradin (ESP)
Flavio Cipolla (ITA) vs. Lamine Ouahab (ALG)
Olivier Patience (FRA) vs. Olivier Marach (AUT)
Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo (ESP) vs. Boris Pashanki (SRB)

Singles First Round
Arnaud Clement (FRA) vs. Ivan Ljubicic (CRO)
Florent Serra (FRA) vs. Thomaz Bellucci (BRA)
Victor Hanescu (ROU) vs. Steve Darcis (BEL)
Alberto Martin (ESP) vs. Frederico Gil (POR)
Ivan Navarro (ESP) vs. Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR)

Doubles First Round
O. Hernandez (ESP)/A. Martin (ESP) vs. S. Aspelin (SWE)/ P. Hanley (AUS)

Monday’s Order of Play

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(image: AP)