BARCELONA, 22 April 2005 — Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal produced another dazzling performance to storm into the Barcelona Open quarterfinals with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Slovak Dominik Hrbaty yesterday.

The 18-year-old, the youngest player in 15 years to win a Masters event last week in Monte Carlo, faces Argentine Agustin Calleri, who edged to an absorbing 6-4, 6-7, 7-6 victory over his fellow countryman and fourth seed Guillermo Coria.

Nadal turned in another irresistible display to record his first victory in four attempts against Hrbaty.

Aggressively competing for every point, the Spaniard gave his opponent little chance as he reeled off a string of precise two-handed backhands and spectacular running passes on his way to an emphatic victory.

Former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero continued his revival with a comfortable 6-1, 6-2 win over fellow Spaniard Alberto Martin, who had knocked out defending champion Tommy Robredo on Wednesday.

Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic sneaked a 6-7, 7-6, 7-6 win over fifth-seeded Argentine Guillermo Canas in a fiercely contested encounter on court one.

Calleri, who earned tough victories over French teenager Gael Monfils and fellow countryman Juan Ignacio Chela in previous rounds, had to fight hard against Coria to book his quarterfinal place in a match lasting two hours 45 minutes.

The 28-year-old took the first set thanks to a second break in the seventh game and played compact tennis to keep the pressure on his younger opponent. The two claycourt specialists struggled on their own serve in the second set, exchanging eight breaks in the first nine games on the way to the tiebreak, which Coria won after Calleri missed his chance with a volley error at the net.

Roddick Battles Past Ginepri in Houston

Raleigh, North Carolina, top seed Andy Roddick overcame a determined challenge from fellow American Robby Ginepri to record a 7-6, 6-4 victory in the second round of the US Men’s Clay Court Championships at Houston on Wednesday.

Both players held serve throughout the opening set before Roddick edged the tiebreaker by an 8-6 margin.

In the second set, Roddick broke twice to race into a 4-1 lead and despite losing his own serve, the world No. 4 held firm to advance to a third round contest against Peru’s Luis Horna.

Defending champion and third seeded Tommy Haas of Germany also advanced with a 7-6, 6-2 victory over American Jeff Morrison.