Rafael Nadal was given a stiff workout by compatriot Fernando Verdasco but came through in three sets to reach the quarter-finals of the Western & Southern Open.
Second seed Nadal won 7-6(5) (4)6-7 7-6(9) in three hours and 38 minutes to set up a last-eight meeting with seventh seed Mardy Fish.
Nadal broke Verdasco on four occasions and was broken the same number of times, but was forced by his opponent to save six more break points.
Fish earned his quarter-final spot with a 7-5 7-5 defeat of 12th seed Richard Gasquet.
Top seed Novak Djokovic had an easier time of it than Nadal, seeing off Radek Stepanek 6-3 6-3.
Roger Federer, seeded third, was another straight sets winner - 6-4 6-1 over James Blake in 54 minutes.
The remaining member of the top four, Andy Murray, settled an old score against Alexander Bogomolov - who knocked him out in the second round of the Sony Ericsson Open in March - with a 6-2 7-5 win.
Gilles Simon, rated 10th for the tournament, knocked out fifth seed David Ferrer 6-4 (3)6-7 6-4, while ninth seed Nicolas Almagro fell to the number eight Tomas Berdych 6-2 6-2.
Sixth seed Gael Monfils won the remaining match 6-2 6-2 against Philipp Kohlschreiber.
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Second seed Nadal won 7-6(5) (4)6-7 7-6(9) in three hours and 38 minutes to set up a last-eight meeting with seventh seed Mardy Fish.
Nadal broke Verdasco on four occasions and was broken the same number of times, but was forced by his opponent to save six more break points.
Fish earned his quarter-final spot with a 7-5 7-5 defeat of 12th seed Richard Gasquet.
Top seed Novak Djokovic had an easier time of it than Nadal, seeing off Radek Stepanek 6-3 6-3.
Roger Federer, seeded third, was another straight sets winner - 6-4 6-1 over James Blake in 54 minutes.
The remaining member of the top four, Andy Murray, settled an old score against Alexander Bogomolov - who knocked him out in the second round of the Sony Ericsson Open in March - with a 6-2 7-5 win.
Gilles Simon, rated 10th for the tournament, knocked out fifth seed David Ferrer 6-4 (3)6-7 6-4, while ninth seed Nicolas Almagro fell to the number eight Tomas Berdych 6-2 6-2.
Sixth seed Gael Monfils won the remaining match 6-2 6-2 against Philipp Kohlschreiber.
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