HAMBURG, Germany — Rafael Nadal had no birthday gift for Andy Murray, winning in straight sets Thursday to join Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals of the Hamburg Masters.
Nadal won 6-3, 6-2 against Murray, who turned 21.
Defending champion Roger Federer breezed past Robin Soderling 6-3, 6-2. The top-ranked Federer is seeking his fifth title in Hamburg and will play Fernando Verdasco, who upset fifth-seeded David Ferrer 7-6 (2), 6-2.
Djokovic defeated Ivo Karlovic 7-6 (3), 6-3 to stay on course for back-to-back titles after winning last week's Rome Masters. Djokovic could rise to No. 2 after this tournament.
Roger Federer returns the ball to Robin Soderling during their third round match at the ATP Marters tournament in Hamburg on Thursday. (Roland Magunia/AFP/Getty Images)
Nadal will face Carlos Moya, who outlasted Marat Safin 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-1.
Nadal received treatment for blisters on his left hand, but was already ahead 4-1 in the second set. He did not seem to be in discomfort, unlike Murray who did not have an answer to Nadal's power on clay. Murray ended the match with a meek forehand into the net, one of 23 unforced errors to Nadal's 11.
The tournament is a major warmup for the French Open later this month, the only Grand Slam title Federer has yet to win.
"I have no aches or pains, I feel very fit, very match tough," Federer said.
Federer has only one title so far this year, at a relatively small clay-court tournament last month in Estoril, Portugal. He has a 24-6 record.
Federer had won all five previous matches against Soderling, and had a crisp 24 winners to 10 unforced errors. Soderling was nearly the opposite, with 12 winners and 23 unforced errors.
"I controlled things well from the baseline, I served well when I had to," Federer said. "He has a big serve but I retrieved it well and I scrambled well."
Djokovic leads the tour with three titles this year, but had never played the 6-foot-10 Karlovic.
Karlovic, who led the tour in aces last year, had 12 against Djokovic. He also had 26 unforced errors.
Djokovic trailed 3-1 in the tiebreaker but won six straight points. He broke serve for a 4-2 lead in the second set, which proved enough to win.
Djokovic will play Albert Montanes, who rolled past Janko Tipsarevic 6-2, 6-1. Andreas Seppi upset 12th-seeded Juan Monaco 6-0, 6-3.
