Key Biscayne, FL – Two-time champion Novak Djokovic and three-time runner-up Rafael Nadal were a pair of fourth-round winners, while American Andy Roddick's brief run ended Tuesday at the $3.973 million Sony Ericsson Open, a hardcourt ATP Masters tournament.
The world No. 1 Djokovic improved to 17-2 this year by dismissing 17th-seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet 7-5, 6-3 at Crandon Park.
The reigning Australian Open, U.S. Open and Wimbledon champion Djokovic beat Nadal in last year's final, also titled here in 2007, and was the Miami runner-up in 2009.
Up next for Djokovic will be fifth-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer, who breezed past 11th-seeded Argentine and former U.S. Open champ Juan Martin del Potro 6-3, 6-3.
The second-seeded former world No. 1 Nadal handled 16th-seeded Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-4 in 2 hours, 10 minutes. The Spanish great moved on with the help of four service breaks, compared to only two for Nishikori.
In addition to losing to Djokovic here last year, Nadal also finished as the Miami runner-up in 2005 and 2008.
The 10-time major champion Nadal, who owns a co-record 19 Masters titles, will face Jo-Wilfried Tsonga after the sixth-seeded Frenchman made quick work of 19th-seeded German Florian Mayer, using eight aces to straight-set Mayer 6-3, 6-2 in 53 minutes.
Nadal is seeking his first title anywhere since capturing the French Open last June.
Roddick, who titled here in 2004 and 2010, defeated world No. 3 Roger Federer on Tuesday to gain a spot in the fourth-round, but was unable to keep the momentum going against Juan Monaco of Argentina.
The 21st-seeded Monaco won five of his nine break point opportunities, compared to just one-of-four for Roddick, and ousted the American 7-5, 6-0 in just over 100 minutes.
Monaco next faces eighth-seeded American Mardy Fish, who snuck into the quarters with a 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 6-3 victory over 12th-seeded Spanish clay- court stalwart Nicolas Almagro in 2 hours, 35 minutes,
Fourth-seeded Andy Murray eased into the quarters with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over 13th-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon. The three-time Grand Slam runner-up from Scotland broke Simon twice while holding his serve throughout on Tuesday.
The 2009 Miami champion Murray will meet tough Serb Janko Tipsarevic in his next outing after the ninth-seeded Tipsarevic reached the round of eight by getting past talented 20-year-old Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 on Day 7.
The 2012 Miami champion will collect $659,775.
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