The Russian won 7-5, 7-5 against big-serving Croat Marin Cilic, who fired five aces but could only save three of seven break points. Davydenko will next face American John Isner, who beat German Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-3, in a tight match that saw a combined 33 aces from the two big serving players.

“It was a very good match for me,” said Davydenko. “(My) baseline (play) was good control and I played fast.”

But German qualifier Michael Berrer, who accounted for fifth-seeded Tomas Berdych in the previous round, fell to Gilles Simon, 6-7 (8), 6-4, 7-6 (4) in a match lasting three hours and seven minutes.

Top seed Novak Djokovic sailed into the quarterfinals after American Mardy Fish withdrew ahead of their night match with an injury to his left ankle.

Women’s top seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark was through to the third round with a textbook 6-4, 6-2 win over Italy’s Sara Errani.

Second seed Vera Zvonereva came from behind against fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko to book her quarterfinal place. After giving up the first set, Zvonereva ratcheted up her serve, firing five aces to win 5-7, 6-4, 2-4.

Earlier, 15th seed Shahar Peer of Israel became the first into the final eight, taking just 59 minutes to eliminate Serbia’s Bojana Jovanovski, 6-1, 6-2.

Jovanovski, who knocked out third-seeded Jelena Jankovic on Monday, broke Peer only once while losing her serve five times.

“I’m very happy. I was playing very well today, very aggressively,” Peer said. “I hope to keep going and play better and better every round this week.”

German Angelique Kerber continued her strong form, strolling to a second-round victory against Romania’s Alexandra Dulgheru, 6-2, 6-1.

Francesca Schiavone of Italy Russia, battled to a three set victory over Vera Dushevina, downing the Russian 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.
 
Tursunov beats Gasquet in Japan Open

In Tokyo, Dmitry Tursunov held his nerve in the final set to beat Richard Gasquet of France in the second round of the Japan Open tennis tournament on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old Russian, who eliminated seventh seed Ernests Gulbis of Latvia on Monday, scored his only break in the seventh game of the decider to win 7-6 (7/2), 1-6, 6-4.

"Right now I'm happy, it doesn't matter how I win. You are always happy if you win," said Tursunov, who came back to action in May following a long lay-off with an ankle injury.

After the first set went with serve, Tursunov won the tie-break when Gasquet double-faulted at 2-6 down.

Tursunov also hit a double fault — his only one of the match — at the beginning of the third game of the second set, which seemed to turn the momentum in favor of Gasquet.

Gasquet won seven straight games to win the second set and lead the final set 1-0 but missed a break chance in the fourth game as Tursunov fired a forehand winner from the baseline.

"In the second set, he just sent me out of the court. I didn't have too many answers, he was playing fast, he was going for big shots and I was making them," Tursunov said.

"So at the beginning of the third set, I wasn't too confident in myself winning the match, but a couple of points here and there, he made a couple of easy mistakes. I got a feeling that he was not playing as well (as in the second set)," he added.

In the quarterfinals, Tursunov will play either world No. 1 Rafael Nadal of Spain or Milos Raonic of Canada.

Earlier in the day, Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic became the first player to reach the quarter-finals when his opponent, Marco Chiudinelli of Switzerland, retired from the match with a back problem at 5-7, 7-6 (9/7), 4-1.

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain, stunned Nadal in the Thailand Open semi-finals last weekend, outclassed his compatriot Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (7/5), 6-4.

hf/pdw