David Ferrer set up a potential quarter-final meeting with Andy Murray by advancing past Gilles Simon at the Rome Open this afternoon.
The Spaniard was in flawless form during the first set, not dropping a single game as he claimed it 6-0 in just over half-an-hour.
The second set was a much more even affair and the Frenchman looked set to level the match when he broke Ferrer in the seventh game with a smart drop shot.
That gave Simon the opportunity to serve for the set, but sixth-seed Ferrer showed great determination to break back and take it to a tiebreak.
Ferrer used this momentum to his advantage as he won the breaker 7-5 to book his place in the last eight.
He will face Murray providing the world number four overcomes the challenge of Richard Gasquet later today.
Joe Fish
