Djokovic, Nadal, Wozniacki, Sharapova win at Miami

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

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Novak Djokovic. Pic/AFP

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

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"It's going to be very difficult. But I'm ready," Djokovic said. "I'm fresh physically, fit. Mentally I'm always there. I have a day off tomorrow, which gives me enough time to prepare for next challenge."

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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.

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Rafael Nadal. Pic/AFP

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The Spaniard fired eight aces and won 65 percent of first-serve points while saving six of the eight break points he faced to advance in two hours and 11 minutes, improving to 16-3 on the season.

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"The beginning was very tough," Nadal said. "I started playing more aggressively. At the end of the first set, I felt that I started to win my serves easier than him. I believe that I had more the control of the game.

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"In the second set I started well. At 5-3, I didn't play my best game there and he broke me. Happy to have the break back later and finally win the match."

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

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"I came into this match losing to her the last few times," Sharapova said. "I really wanted to change that."

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Danish fourth seed Wozniacki ended the comeback run of US 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.

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"She definitely served the best she served in her career," Williams said. "She moved well and I just made too many errors. I felt a bit off. I probably played about 20 percent."

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The frustration had Williams wanting to smash a racquet but she thought better of it, saying, "I thought about it, but I'm trying to be better now."

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Sharapova, like Nadal a three-time Miami runner-up who has never won the crown, has a 3-2 record against Wozniacki.

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"It's the semifinals, a tough stage and a tough opponent," Sharapova said. "Caroline has been one of the most consistent players on the tour for many reasons."

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Sharapova's match began with five consecutive service breaks, but she found her form at 4-3, winning the last eight games of the match and 12 points in a row in one stretch to move on after 68 minutes.

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"I was really consistent in conditions where it was a little gusty and blowing around and I faced a tough opponent too," Sharapova said. "I did a good job of maintaining my consistency throughout the whole match."

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

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US eighth 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.

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