MILAN, Italy, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- Defending champion Davide Sanguinetti was stretched to the limit Thursday, but reached the quarterfinals of the Milan Indoors with a 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) victory over Max Mirnyi.
It was the first meeting between the two veterans with Mirnyi having been a quarterfinalist last year at this tournament and at the U.S. Open.
Sanguinetti, who won his first career title at Milan last year, will meet Dutchman Martin Verkerk in the quarterfinals.
Fourth-seeded Xavier Malisse of Belgium cruised through the first set before unheralded French qualifier Julien Varlet advanced, 2-6, 7-5, 7-6 (8-6).
The 25-year-old Varlet next meets unseeded Croatian Ivan Ljubicic, who improved to 4-0 all-time against Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia after rallying to win 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (8-6), 6-4.
No. 5 Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia, a semifinalist here a year ago, rolled to a 6-4, 6-3 win over 21-year-old Kristian Pless of Denmark.
In the quarterfinals, Kafelnikov faces qualifier Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden, who easily disposed of Italian wild card Andrea Gaudenzi, 6-2, 6-1.
