The Tampa, Florida resident began the week at No. 10 in the ATP2008 Race, 27 points behind 8th-placed Juan Martin del Potro. He is bidding to reach Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai for the second time after reaching the final on his 2006 debut.

The 28-year-old right-hander improved to a 44-22 match record on the season, highlighted by reaching the quarterfinals or betterat 11 ATP events, including runner-up finishes at Delray Beach and Houston.

Russian sixth seed Igor Andreev advanced to his eighth ATP quarterfinal of the season as he edged past Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-6(6), 6-7(0), 7-5 in two hours and 34 minutes.

Basel debutant Andreev fired 17 aces but won five fewer points than Kohlschreiber in his seventh straight victory over the German.

The 25-year-old Andreev, currently ranked No. 21, has compiled a 42-30 match record on the season.

Kohlschreiber, who recorded his 30th match win of the season (30-20) with his first round victory over Denis Gremelmayr, was bidding to reach the Basel quarterfinals for the first time after falling in the second round on his debut in 2006.

Spaniard Feliciano Lopez knocked out eighth-seeded American Mardy Fish 7-6(9), 6-4 to reach his third straight ATP quarterfinal following a semifinal appearance in Vienna and a quarterfinal exit at Masters Series Madrid last week.

World No. 52 Marcel Granollers progressed to the second round after converting five of 10 break points as he defeated former finalist Marcos Baghdatis 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.

The Barcelona native won his first ATP title at Houston on clayin April and has a 15-18 match record.

Baghdatis, who was making his comeback after suffering a back injury in Metz, was runner-up in Basel in 2005.

Belgian Kristof Vliegen set up a second round clash with No. 2 seed David Nalbandian after knocking out German wild card and recent Vienna champion Philipp Petzschner 6-2, 6-3. It is the 26 year old's first ATP-level victory since reaching the second roundat Gstaad in July.

Left-handed Finn Jarkko Nieminen defeated Eduardo Schwank 6-2, 6-4 to set up a repeat of last year's final with top seed Roger Federer.

Nieminen has lost all nine of his previous meetings with the Swiss.