Djokovic, Murray, Federer reach Cincy quarters

Mason, OH – World No. 1 and four-time runner-up Novak Djokovic, two-time champion Andy Murray and five-time winner Roger Federer were a trio of third-round winners Thursday at the $3 million Western & Southern Open, a hardcourt ATP Masters 1000 event.

Last year's runner-up Djokovic blew away helpless Belgian David Goffin 6-2, 6-0 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center, where Federer upended the Serbian star in last year's marquee finale.

Djokovic needs a Cincy title to complete the career Golden Masters, or titles at every Masters event.

His quarterfinal opponent on Friday will be 6-foot-9 American favorite John Isner.

The second-seeded Murray dismantled helpless Frenchman Julien Benneteau 6-2, 6-2 on Day 5. The reigning Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion was the Cincinnati titlist in 2008 and 2011.

Meanwhile, the fifth-seeded former No. 1 Federer had to come from behind in order to beat 11th-seeded German veteran Tommy Haas, 1-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Last year, the 17-time Grand Slam king Federer became the first player in the Open Era to win five Cincinnati titles.

An upset came when oft-injured but capable Russian Dmitry Tursunov took out third-seeded French Open runner-up David Ferrer, of Spain, 6-2, 6-4.

Seventh-seeded Argentine slugger Juan Martin del Potro avoided an upset by getting past Spanish left-hander Feliciano Lopez, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4. The 6-foot-7 former U.S. Open titlist del Potro was a hardcourt champ in Washington, D.C., two weeks ago.

Del Potro will meet Tursunov here on Friday.

The recent D.C. runner-up Isner upended 12th-seeded Canadian Milos Raonic, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, on Thursday. Raonic was last week's Canadian Masters runner-up to the great Rafael Nadal in Montreal.

This is the last Masters tournament before the U.S. Open, which will commence August 26 in New York.

The 2013 Cincinnati champ will collect $583,800.