Djokovic makes Italian Masters quarters

ROME, May 8 (UPI) -- Third-seeded Novak Djokovic needed a third set but still advanced Thursday to the quarterfinals of the $3.5 Italian Masters clay court tennis tournament.

Djokovic took a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Igor Andreev but the match took 2 hours, 42 minutes and he had to stave off 11 service break chances by Andreev, including seven in losing the second set.

World No. 1 Roger Federer had a move conventional 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 win over Ivo Karlovic in his third-round match while sixth-seeded Andy Roddick was also a straight-set winner, taking out local favorite Simone Bolelli 7-6 (7-5), 6-3.

No. 6-seeded James Blake defeated Fernando Verdasco 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 and Stanislas Wawrinka swept Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-4, 6-3. Nicolas Almagro moved into Friday's round of eight when 12th-seeded Fernando Gonzalez withdrew with a right leg injury.

In a battle of unseeded players, Radek Stepanek topped Luis Horna 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 and earned a shot at Federer in the quarterfinals.