Top seed Raonic into SAP Open quarters

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SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 15 (UPI) -- Two-time defending champ Milos Raonic advanced to the quarterfinals with a win over Michael Russell Thursday at the SAP Open.

The top-seeded Canadian needed only 63 minutes to take down his opponent 6-2, 7-5 at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., moving on to face No. 6 Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan.

Istomin advanced with a 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2 win over German Benjamin Becker in a second-round match Thursday.

No. 3 seed Sam Querrey of the United States needed to survive a third-set tiebreaker to get past Australian Lleyton Hewitt 7-6 (8-6), 1-6, 7-6 (7-4).

Eighth-seeded Xavier Malisse of Belgium rallied to defeat Matthew Ebden of Australia 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (7-1).

In other Thursday matches, Colombian Alejandro Falla bested No. 7 Marinko Matosevic of Australia 6-4, 6-4, and in a match pitting two Americans, wild card Steve Johnson bounced Tim Smyczek 6-3, 6-3.