Valencia, Spain (SportsNetwork.com) - Top seed and multiple champion David Ferrer and former titlist Andy Murray led the charge into the quarterfinals at the $1.9 million Valencia Open tennis event.
The veteran Spanish crowd favorite Ferrer took care of 2004 champion and fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 6-2, while the third-seeded Murray handled Italian Fabio Fognini 6-2, 6-4 on the indoor hardcourts at The City of Arts and Sciences.
The three-time champion and two-time runner-up Ferrer was last year's Valencia runner-up to Russian Mikhail Youzhny and last year's French Open runner-up Ferrer was last week's Vienna runner-up to the surging Murray.
The two-time Grand Slam champion Murray was a Valencia titlist back in 2009.
Brazilian qualifier Thomaz Bellucci received a walkover into Friday's quarters when sixth-seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut pulled out of the draw on Day 4, citing an abdominal injury. Bautista Agut was a runner-up in Moscow last week.
In other second-round action, France's Jeremy Chardy overcame Ukrainian and 2012 Valencia runner-up Alexandr Dolgopolov 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 7-5 and Spaniard Pablo Andujar subdued Serb Dusan Lajovic 6-3, 6-2.
The quarterfinals will pit Ferrer against Bellucci; Murray versus Chardy; seventh-seeded South African Kevin Anderson against Andujar; and wild card Pablo Carreno Busta versus fellow Spaniard Tommy Robredo.
The 2014 Valencia champ will claim $500,000.
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