TORONTO, July 25: Rafael Nadal and defending champion Novak Djokovic eased into the last eight of the Toronto Masters on Thursday, while a racket-smashing Andy Roddick suffered a shock upset.

Frenchman Gilles Simon, who a day earlier sent world number one Roger Federer tumbling out of the tournament, returned to the court and swept into the quarter-finals with a tidy 6-3, 6-4 win over Argentine Jose Acasuso.

However, number six seed Roddick became the latest upset victim by losing to 19-year-old Croat Marin Cilic 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

French Open and Wimbledon champion Nadal stopped plucky Russian Igor Andreev 6-2, 7-6 to improve his unbeaten streak to 26 matches. Nadal is on course to meet Djokovic in the semi-finals.

American Roddick appeared baffled by the hard-hitting Cilic, but after dropping the opening set broke at 5-4 to take the second. However, Roddick’s momentum stalled in the third and Cilic took control.

Roddick became increasingly frustrated as the match slipped away, smashing his racket and spending parts of the set arguing with the chair umpire.

Serb Djokovic, playing his first event since Wimbledon, dispatched Swede Robin Soderling 6-4, 6-4 while British eighth seed Andy Murray booked his place in the last eight with a 6-2, 0-6, 6-4 win over Stanislas Wawrinka.

In another upset, German Nicolas Kiefer toppled fourth-seeded Russian Nikolai Davydenko 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 while Frenchman Richard Gasquet got the better of Spain’s David Ferrer for the first time in four career meetings, winning 6-3, 6-3.

James Blake, the last remaining American in the $2.6 million tournament, moved on with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 win over Russian Dmitry Tursunov.

Results (prefix number denotes seeding):

Third round: 10-Richard Gasquet (France) bt 5-David Ferrer (Spain) 6-3, 6-3; 2-Rafael Nadal (Spain) bt Igor Andreev (Russia) 6-2, 7-6(1); Nicolas Kiefer (Germany) bt 4-Nikolay Davydenko (Russia) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4; 7-James Blake (US) bt Dmitry Tursunov (Russia) 4-6, 6-1, 6-4; 8-Andy Murray (Britain) bt 9-Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland) 6-2, 0-6, 6-4; Marin Cilic (Croatia) bt 6-Andy Roddick (US) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4; Gilles Simon (France) bt Jose Acasuso (Argentina) 6-3, 6-4; 3-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) bt Robin Soderling (Sweden) 6-4, 6-4.

JANKOVIC PROCEEDS

LOS ANGELES: Top seed Jelena Jankovic remained on course to become the world’s top ranked player when she eased to a 6-3, 6-2 triumph over Melinda Czink in the third round of the Los Angeles Classic on Thursday.

Victory at this event will allow the 23-year-old Serb to leapfrog her compatriot Ana Ivanovic in the world rankings and her task was made easier when third seeded Anna Chakvetadze was beaten by Sybille Bammer in three tough sets.

Russia’s Vera Zvonareva also lost, the fifth seed falling 6-4, 7-5 to countrywoman Nadia Petrova, who lined up a quarter-final showdown against Jankovic with the victory.

Playing her first tournament since injuring her knee at Wimbledon last month, Jankovic dominated her left-handed Hungarian opponent, controlling the rallies and sending down seven aces in a powerful display of serving.

Russia’s Chakvetadze, however, suffered the pain of defeat and was clearly frustrated by her performance against the Austrian 14th seed following her 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 loss.

Bammer advances to face 10th seed Flavia Pennetta in the quarter-finals after the Italian overcame Ai Sugiyama of Japan 7-6, 6-3.

Another leading player given a hard time was Dinara Safina, the Russian fourth seed was forced to call upon all of her reserves to edge out Alla Kudryavtseva 7-6, 0-6, 7-6.

Safina moves on to face eighth seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, who beat Samantha Stosur of Australia 6-4, 7-6.

Results:

Third round: 4-Dinara Safina (Russia) bt Alla Kudryavtseva (Russia) 7-6, 0-6, 7-6; 1-Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) bt Melinda Czink (Hungary) 6-3, 6-2; Bethanie Mattek (US) bt Olga Govortsova (Belarus) 7-5, 6-2; 9-Nadia Petrova (Russia) bt 5-Vera Zvonareva (Russia) 6-4, 7-5; 14-Sybille Bammer (Austria) bt 3-Anna Chakvetadze (Russia) 6-4, 5-7, 6-2; 10-Flavia Pennetta (Italy) bt Ai Sugiyama (Japan) 7-6(5), 6-3; Yuan Meng (China) bt Melanie South (Britain) 6-2, 6-3; 8-Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) bt Samantha Stosur (Australia) 6-4, 7-6.—Reuters