Djokovic, Nadal win matches at Miami event

PanARMENIAN.Net - Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal stayed on pace for a possible final showdown while Maria Sharapova and Caroline Wozniacki booked a semi-final match with triumphs at the Miami ATP and WTA event.

Top-ranked defending champion Novak Djokovic, winner of the past three Grand Slam singles crowns, on Tuesday, March 27 reached the quarter-finals of the $9.6 million hardcourt tournament with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over French 17th seed Richard Gasquet.

The Serbian top seed will next face the winner of a later match between Spanish 5th seed David Ferrer and Argentina's 11th seed Juan Martin Del Potro.

World No. 2 Nadal, a three-time Miami runner-up who has never lifted the trophy, ousted Japanese 16th seed Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-4. Up next is French sixth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who ousted German Florian Mayer 6-3, 6-2.

On the women's side, 2nd seed Sharapova advanced with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Chinese 8th seed Li Na, the Russian beauty snapping a four-match losing streak to the Asian star.

Danish 4th seed Wozniacki ended the comeback run of U.S. 10th seed Serena Williams 6-4, 6-4. The American had been sidelined from WTA events since the Australian Open due to an ankle injury.

British 4th seed Andy Murray ousted French 13th seed Gilles Simon 6-3, 6-4. The Scotsman booked a last-eight date against Serbian 9th seed Janko Tipsarevic, who defeated Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov 7-6 (7/3), 6-2.

U.S. 8th seed Mardy Fish outlasted Spanish 12th seed Nicolas Almagro 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 6-3. Next for Fish will be Argentina's Juan Monaco, who eliminated American Andy Roddick 7-5, 6-0, AFP reported.