Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic advanced to the Rome Masters quarterfinals with routine straight-sets wins on Thursday. Nadal extended his clay-court winning streak to 27 matches - stretching back to an opening-round loss to Juan Carlos Ferrero here last year - with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Robin Soderling of Sweden. Federer avenged last year's quarterfinal loss to Radek Stepanek by beating the 16th-seeded Czech 6-4, 6-1. Djokovic had a surprisingly easy time with 13th-seeded Tommy Robredo, winning 6-1, 6-1. Also advancing were No. 5 Juan Martin del Potro, No. 8 Fernando Verdasco, No. 12 Fernando Gonzalez, and two qualifiers – Juan Monaco of Argentina and Mischa Zverev of Germany. Nadal was so dominant against Soderling that the 27th-ranked Swede became frustrated enough to call the ATP supervisor, Mark Darby, onto the court early in the second set over a disputed call. Computer replays showed Soderling's shot was clearly out. Nadal will next face Verdasco, who eliminated Richard Gasquet of France 7-5, 6-4. Federer will next face the 76th-ranked Zverev, who upset eighth-seeded Gilles Simon 6-4, 6-1. Del Potro defeated last year's runner-up, No. 10 Stanislas Wawrinka, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3. Monaco produced another upset by beating 15th-seeded Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-4. He will next face Gonzalez, who beat Jurgen Melzer of Austria 3-6, 6-3, 7-5. Safina impresses In Germany, world number one Dinara Safina made light work of Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova as she needed just over an hour to reach the quarterfinals of the WTA tournament in Stuttgart on Thursday. Safina was barely troubled by Hantuchova as she won her second round game 6-4, 6-2 and will play eighth-seed Agnieszka Radwanska in Friday's quarterfinal. Radwanska had no problems booking her quarterfinal place with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over qualifier Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria. Earlier defending champion Jelena Jankovic beat Sabine Lisicki 7-5, 5-7, 6-3. In the quarterfinal, Jankovic will play Italy's Flavia Pennetta, who beat sixth-seed Nadia Petrova 6-2, 6-2. Earlier Olympic champion Elena Dementieva booked her place in the last eight with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 win over Hungary's Agnes Szavay. Dementieva will play France's Marion Bartoli for a place in the semifinal after the 24-year-old knocked out seventh-seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 7-6 (8/6), 6-4. Fifth-seed Svetlana Kuznetsova will play Argentina's Gisela Dulko in the quarters after beating China's Li Na as the Russian recovered from losing the first set to win 4-6, 6-4, 7
