Top seeds progress into Valencia Open quarters

ASSOCIATED PRESS

VALENCIA: Top-seeded David Ferrer beat Canadian qualifier Vasek Pospisil 6-3, 6-3 on Wednesday to reach the Valencia Open quarterfinals.

Gael Monfils, the third seed, joined the defending champion in the final eight, hitting 10 aces in 6-2, 7-6 (5) win over Pablo Andujar of Spain. Sixth-seeded Juan Martin del Potro also had 10 aces in overwhelming Dmitry Tursunov of Russia 6-4, 6-1 to reach the second round.

American Alex Bogomolov Jr. rallied to knock eighth-seeded Spaniard Feliciano Lopez out of the tournament 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2).

Del Potro and Monfils maintained their pursuits of a place at the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London with the victories. They each got help when ninth-ranked Nicolas Almagro lost his first-round match a day earlier.

“That’s not in my thinking right now. Mathematically I’m the one who’s furthest away from those who have a chance and I’m aware of that,” said the 15th-ranked Del Potro, who added he would not go to London as an alternate either.

“My goal is to keep improving and reach my ultimate level,” said Del Potro, who dropped only 13 points on serve in his match.

Fifth-ranked Ferrer was hardly troubled for the second straight day as he saved five of six break chances and converted four himself, including the lone break of the second set to advance at the City of Arts and Sciences. Ferrer plays Nikolay Davydenko next after the Russian earned a walkover into the quarterfinals after Nicolas Mahut pulled out.

It was a tough day for Canadian players as Milos Raonic bowed out after a 6-4, 6-4 first round loss to Croatia’s Marian Cilic. Break points were hard to come by as Cilic saved his serve twice and broke Raonic a pair of times to win it.