Murray sets up clash against Nadal in Rome

ROME: Andy Murray celebrated turning 27 with a 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 win over Jurgen Melzer at the Rome Masters, setting up a quarterfinal clash with Rafael Nadal.
The birthday boy extended his perfect record against his Austrian opponent to 6-0 but didn’t have it all his own way against the man from Vienna, particularly in a tight opening set.
“I’d obviously love to play against him (Nadal) — it would be a great match for me with the French Open just around the corner because obviously I’ll see exactly where my game is at.” Andy Murray
Next up will be reigning champion Nadal after the Spaniard battled back from a set down to defeat Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 6-1.
Murray hasn’t faced Nadal on the Spaniard’s favorite clay surface since 2011.
“I haven’t played him for a long time, regardless of the last time it was on clay,” said Murray after his win.
“I didn’t play him at all when Ivan (Lendl) was coaching me, I think it’s been at least two-and-a-half three years, so it would be good for me in case I have to potentially play him at the French Open.”
Monte Carlo champion Stanislas Wawrinka joined fellow Swiss Roger Federer on the scrapheap at the ATP-WTA Rome Masters on Thursday as back pain resulted in a 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 loss to 15th seed Tommy Haas.
Canadian eighth seed Milos Raonic reached his first Rome quarterfinal with a defeat of French 11th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 (7/5), 6-4. Jeremy Chardy, who beat Federer 24 hours earlier, kept up his momentum by defeating Ivan Dodig 6-3, 6-2.
In women’s play, Chinese second seed Li Na defeated Samantha Stosur 6-3, 6-1 to reach the quarterfinals, turning the momentum in a long-running rivallry.
Stosur, a 2010 Roland Garros finalist, had beaten world number two Li in all six of their previous meetings going back to 2007.
The victory was her second straight over an Aussie opponent after defeating qualifier Casey Dellacqua in the previous round.
But China’s top female athlete made inroads against Stosur’s one-way scoreline with her first victory, achieved in 68 minutes with five breaks of the 30-year-old Australian.
“Today I was very focused on what I had to do on the court to put pressure on her,” said Li. “Putting on pressure was the key to the match, otherwise she can totally control you.
“I now feel I’m playing high quality matches.” Li will play a quarterfinal against Italian tenth seed Sara Errani, who beat Czech Petra Cetkovska 6-3, 7-6 (7/3).
Li finished Rome runner-up in 2012, holding a match point against eventual champion Maria Sharapova.
Australian Open champion Li is looking for her third trophy of the season as she prepares for the French Open, which she won in 2011.
Third-seeded Pols Agnieszka Radwanska put out Italian veteran Francesca Schiavone, the 2010 French Open winner, 6-4, 6-1.
Ana Ivanovic handed Maria Sharapova her first loss of the spring clay season as she beat the Russian eighth seed 6-1, 6-4.
Sharapova had won back-to-back titles in Stuttgart and Madrid, compiling a dozen straight victories.
Ivanovic, the 2008 Roland Garros winner and world number one, had won just two of 10 previous meetings with the four-time grand slam champion, the last seven years ago at a Roland Garros semi-final.