Verdasco, Berdych reach quarterfinals

BASTAD, Sweden, July 9 (UPI) -- Second-seeded Fernando Verdasco of Spain and No. 4 seed Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic moved on to the quarterfinals Wednesday in the Swedish Open.

Verdasco led Ervin Elescovic 6-0, 4-2 when the Swede withdrew because of a leg injury.

Berdych defeated former Australian Open winner Thomas Johansson 7-6 (7-2), 6-2.

Unseeded Italian Potito Starace took out former world No. 1 Marat Safin of Russia 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 6-4.

In another second-rounder, qualifier Bjorn Rehnquist of Sweden eliminated countryman MIchael Ryderstedt 6-3, 7-5.