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TORONTO - World No 1 Rafa Nadal's victory at the Toronto Masters on Thursday set the stage for mouthwatering quarterfinal matches that will feature the game's top four men's players.
![]() Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates his win over Kevin Anderson of South Africa during the Rogers Cup at the Rexall Centre on Thursday in Toronto, Canada. [Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP] |
The presence of Nadal, his great rival Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray in the last eight offers the promise of something special as the players gear up for the US Open.
Nadal and Federer have each claimed a pair of Canadian titles and a Sunday clash between the Swiss master and the muscular Spaniard would be a dream final for fans.
Eager to add an elusive US Open title to the Wimbledon and French Open crowns he has already lifted this season, Nadal dismissed big-serving South African Kevin Anderson 6-2, 7-6.
Federer eased into the quarter-finals with a 7-6, 6-3 win over Frenchman Michael Llodra, setting up a grudge match with Czech nemesis Tomas Berdych, who booked his place with a 6-3, 6-7, 6-4 win over Ukraine's Alexandr Dolgopolov.
Twice a champion in Canada, Federer has shown confidence and improving form in Toronto but will need to bring his 'A' game to center court on Friday as Berdych has had the Swiss maestro's number this season.
While Federer holds an 8-3 edge in head-to-head meetings, Berdych has dominated the 16-time Grand Slam winner this season and helped send the former No 1 down to No 3 in the world rankings.
The quarterfinal will mark their third meeting in the past five months, with the hard-hitting Czech coming out on top in both previous encounters, including a quarterfinal upset at Wimbledon that ended Federer's reign at the All-England Club.
"I definitely will have to go back and take a look at what didn't go so well against him and what did work well," Federer said. "He's definitely on a run right now."
Murray survived a rollercoaster ride into the quarterfinals with a wild 6-2, 0-6, 6-3 win over Frenchman Gael Monfils.
The Briton may have the toughest road to the semifinals as he faces a resurgent Argentine David Nalbandian, who has been unstoppable since returning in July from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for two months.
Since returning last month in Davis Cup play, Nalbandian has been in inspired form reeling off a career best 11 straight wins, including a gritty 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory over fifth-seeded Swede Robin Soderling on Thursday.
Djokovic swept past Romanian Victor Hanescu 6-3, 6-4.
The Serb will meet Frenchman Jeremy Chardy, a 6-3, 6-2 winner over Russian sixth seed Nikolay Davydenko.
Reuters