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Nadal in last eight; Monfils downs Ferrer

Fognini pulls out of quarterfinal against Djokovic with a torn thigh muscle

PARIS: Five-time champion Rafael Nadal reached the last eight at Roland Garros on Monday as title rival Novak Djokovic enjoyed a major psychological boost when he was handed a free pass into the semifinals.

Top seed Nadal enjoyed a 7-5, 6-3, 6-3 win over Croatian veteran Ivan Ljubicic and next faces Robin Soderling, the only player to have beaten him in Paris in 43 matches, after the fifth seeded Swede beat Gilles Simon 6-2, 6-3, 7-6(5).

Djokovic, meanwhile, was excused quarterfinal duty when scheduled opponent Fabio Fognini of Italy withdrew with a torn left thigh muscle.

In a match carried over from Sunday, ninth seed Gael Monfils out-slugged seventh seed David Ferrer 6-4, 2-6, 7-5, 1-6, 8-6 to earn a quarterfinal assignment against Roger Federer.

Nadal, bidding for a sixth title to take him level with Bjorn Borg, has looked a shadow of his usual self in Paris, shaken by the super-charged form of Djokovic, who could take his title and the No.1 spot before the week is out.

“There was a lot of wind today, which made it very awkward,” said Nadal. “I played better in the last two sets and I am getting a little better as the tournament goes on.”

On Monday, he went a break up to lead 2-1 in the opening set before Ljubucic, a 2006 semifinalist, hit back for 3-3. Nadal stepped up the pressure on the Croatian's serve, however, and snatched the set when Ljubicic sent a backhand wide.

Two breaks in the seventh and ninth games of the second set helped Nadal stretch his lead, the set secured with a smart, down-the-line whipped forehand.

A break for 3-1 in the third set seemed to be the foundation that the 24-year-old required, but Ljubicic, at 32 the oldest man left in the draw, hit back for 2-3. But an immediate break to love gave Nadal a 4-2 lead and he claimed the match in the ninth game when Ljubicic again went long with a loose backhand.

Djokovic will not play again until Friday when the semifinals take place.

Fognini, who had been due to play his first career Grand Slam quarterfinal, had suffered his tournament-ending injury in his marathon five-set fourth-round win over Albert Montanes on Sunday.

“It's the most difficult decision I've made. It was my first Grand Slam quarterfinal and I am playing the best tennis of my career,” said Fognini, the first Italian man to reach the last eight in Paris since Renzo Furlan in 1995.

“I was crying last night. I had the treatment and I decided to retire. I had another scan this morning and we knew that to play would aggravate the injury to the left thigh. It was too risky. But this is sport, this is tennis.”

Djokovic said he felt sympathy for Fognini, a player he has defeated in both of their career meetings.

“Walkover from Fognini. Bad luck for him, hope he recovers fast. Today I get to enjoy Paris in a different way,” wrote the Serb on Twitter.

Meanwhile, Argentina's Juan Ignacio Chela shattered Alejandro Falla's dreams of becoming the first Colombian man to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal with a 4-6, 6-2, 1-6, 7-6(5), 6-2 win.

“I was sure I'd never get to this stage again because of my age,” said 31-year-old Chela, who made the last eight in 2004. “Now I feel younger.”

On the women's side, sixth seed Li Na became the first Chinese player to reach the French Open quarterfinals with a disjointed 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 defeat of 21-year-old Czech ninth seed Petra Kvitova. Li became the first Chinese player to reach a Grand Slam final at the Australian Open earlier this year.

Li made 19 unforced errors to her opponent's 33 in the match on Court Philippe Chatrier but said her lack of clay-court pedigree should not prevent her from aiming high.

“If I win in the fourth round, what should I say?” asked Li, who has now reached the last eight at all four Grand Slams. “(That) I played bad tennis? I don't think so. I've tried to keep the same level as Melbourne, or even better. I didn't like clay courts, but I'm still in the quarterfinals.”

She added: “For a professional player, if you don't like the arena, the weather, the surface, you still have to play the match. You have no choice. You have to challenge yourself to play.”

Sania & Vesnina in semifinals

Seventh seeds Sania Mirza and Elena Vesnina upset the top-seeded pair of Flavia Pennetta and Gisela Dulko 6-0, 7-5 to advance to the women's doubles semifinals. Leander Paes's stay in Paris ended as he and Iveta Benesova crashed out of the mixed doubles competition losing 7-6(3), 6-3 to top seeds Nenad Zimonjic and Katarina Srebotnik. — Agencies

THE RESULTS

Men: Fourth round: 5-Robin Soderling (Swe) bt 18-Gilles Simon 6-2, 6-3, 7-6(5); 1-Rafael Nadal (Esp) bt Ivan Ljubicic (Cro) 7-5, 6-3, 6-3; Juan Ignacio Chela (Arg) bt Alejandro Falla (Col) 4-6, 6-2, 1-6, 7-6(5), 6-2. 9-Gael Monfils (Fra) bt 7-David Ferrer (Esp) 6-4, 2-6, 7-5, 1-6, 8-6.

Women: Fourth round: 4-Victoria Azarenka (Blr) bt Ekaterina Makarova (Rus) 6-2, 6-3; 7-Maria Sharapova (Rus) bt 12-Agnieszka Radwanska (Pol) 7-6(4), 7-5.

6-Li Na (Chn) bt 9-Petra Kvitova (Cze) 2-6, 6-1, 6-3. 13-Svetlana Kuznetsova (Rus) bt 28-Daniela Hantuchova (Svk) 6-7(6), 6-3, 6-2.

Doubles: Quarterfinals: 7-Sania Mirza (Ind) & Elena Vesnina (Rus) bt 1-Gisela Dulko (Arg) & Flavia Pennetta (Ita) 6-0, 7-5.

Mixed doubles: Quarterfinals: 1-Katarina Srebotnik (Slo) & Nenad Zimonjic (Srb) bt 7-Iveta Benesova (Cze) & Leander Paes (Ind) 7-6(3), 6-3 .

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