UMAG, Croatia, July 23 (UPI) -- Unseeded Swede Magnus Norman reached the quarterfinals at the Croatia Open Wednesday with a 7-6 (10-8), 7-6 (7-3) victory over Sasa Tuksar.
Norman, who has not played here since his title triumph in 1999, has won seven straight matches in Umag, including a first-round victory over Rubin Ramirez Hidalgo that snapped a 10-match skid. Norman has won consecutive matches for the first time since March.
Norman next will face sixth seed 17-year-old Rafael Nadal of Spain, who dispatched Argentine Mariano Puerta, 6-2, 6-4. Nadal reached his second quarterfinal in three weeks. He appeared in the final eight in Bastad.
Spain's Albert Martin survived his battle against Ivo Karlovic, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-2). Slovakia's Dominik Hrbaty defeated local wild card Mario Radic, 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-4).
