Bellucci Upends Murray; Soderling Sets Federer Clash

© AFP/Getty ImagesRobin Soderling outdueled Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to set up a QF clash with Roger Federer.

Thomaz Bellucci advanced to his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 quarter-final Thursday at the Mutua Madrid Open, dispatching World No. 4 Andy Murray 6-4, 6-2. "I had to be solid, but at the same time, play aggressively, without letting him take all the control in the match," evaluated Bellucci.

"He managed to play and serve well. My serve was very helpful and I think I played a good game and made him feel a bit uncomfortable playing against me because of my forehand and my serve as well. I think the key was to miss very few shots on the court and play the important points well."

The Brazilian converted each of his three break point opportunities and saved all three against his serve. He and Murray were squaring off for the first time. Murray, the 2008 champion, had reached the quarter-finals in Madrid in the tournament's first two years on clay.

“Tonight’s match wasn’t great; I don’t feel I played particularly well," admitted Murray. "I started the match okay but I didn´t really keep that up."

"I had to be realistic this week. I was coming back from an injury that was that serious... an elbow injury is not easy for tennis players," Murray added.

Earlier in the year, Bellucci notched his maiden Top 10 win (d. Verdasco in Acapulco). The victory over the Scot gives the World No. 36 his first win against a Top 5 player. “Well I think it means a lot”, Bellucci said. “Like [Gustavo Kuerten] said, no Brazilian player has won against a Top 5 player in a long time so I am very happy to have been the one to do it.”

In the quarter-finals, the Brazilian faces another stern test, against seventh seeded Tomas Berdych. The Czech has won their two meetings, both on hard courts. 

Buy Tickets | Watch Live Online

Robin Soderling set up a quarter-final meeting with Roger Federer, after defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6(8), 7-5 in two hours and 13 minutes. Both players won over 75 per cent of their first serve points, but Soderling managed to convert the only break of serve late in the second set, and served out the match to clinch the victory.

The Swede knocked out Federer in the quarter-finals of Roland Garros last year en route to his second consecutive championship appearance. The World No. 3, however, owns a 15-1 head-to-head advantage against Soderling and swept their final three meetings in 2010.

Sixth seeded David Ferrer needed one hour and 29 minutes to get past Sergiy Stakhovsky, winning 6-3, 7-6(3) to move on to the quarter-finals. Ferrer served well, winning 84 per cent of his service points against the Ukranian. The Spaniard will attempt to end the undefeated reign of Novak Djokovic in 2011 Friday. The World No. 2 leads their head-to-head series 5-4, but Ferrer has won each of their three encounters on clay.

Frenchman Michael Llodra advanced to his second ATP World Tour Masters 1000 quarter-final, after coming back to beat Daniel Gimeno-Traver 1-6, 6-4, 7-6(4) in a third-round contest. Llodra saved 13 of 16 break points and won nine fewer points than his Spanish opponent, but managed to squeak out the win. He has the daunting task of playing World No. 1 Rafael Nadal Friday.