ROME: Reigning champion Novak Djokovic needed just over an hour to thrash 13th seed Tommy Robredo in the ATP Rome clycourt Masters here on Thursday.

The word number three was in scintillating form, breaking his opponent six times in a totally one-sided contest that bodes well for the Serbian's chances of retaining his title.

The only blip for Djokovic came in the fourth game of the second set when he dropped serve, but otherwise it was plain sailing.

Robredo could no nothing as he won only 34 percent of his own service points, actually doing marginally better against his opponent's serve.

Having had a day off following a comfortable second round victory over Spain's Albert Montanes, Djokovic looked fresh and sprightly as dark clouds threatened to bring play to a stop at the Foro Italico.

Earlier Argentine qualifier Juan Monaco continued his surprise progress as he knocked out a second seed in as many days.

Monaco served brilliantly to defeat 15th seeded Croatian Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-4 and become the first player into the quarter-finals, where he will play Chile's Fernando Gonzalez, the 12th seed who came back from a set down in his third round clash against Austrian Jurgen Melzer before winning 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.

On Wednesday Monaco had stunned world number four Andy Murray of Britain 1-6, 6-3, 7-5.

It was the world number 58's incredible serve which made the difference against Cilic as he hit a remarkable 80 percent first serve percentage, while winning 82 percent of points on his first serve and 80 percent on his second.

Although he didn't manage a single ace, he didn't give up even one break point while constantly harassing the Cilic serve.

The Croat saved eight of the 10 break points he faced but a single success in each set for Monaco sent him into the last eight.

Gonzalez, the runner-up here in 2006, needed almost two hours to over come Melzer but a break in the 11th game of the deciding set proved the difference