Djokovic secures brave victory

Novak Djokovic buried grief to advance to the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters after a 2-6 6-1 6-4 defeat of Alexandr Dolgopolov.

The world number one took to the court after learning his grandfather had died - and he looked affected by the news in the first set as the 16th seed broke his illustrious opponent twice.

But Djokovic rallied superbly, racing through the second set 6-1 and - after a rain delay at 1-1 in the decider, returning to the court to wrap up a 2-6 6-1 6-4 victory in one hour and 39 minutes.

Djokovic was joined in the last eight by Rafael Nadal, whose injury problems looked to be sidelined as he needed exactly an hour to dispose of Kazakh qualifier Mikhail Kukushkin 6-1 6-1.

Nadal, who is bidding for an unprecedented eighth straight title at the event to snap a titleless streak leading back to last year's French Open, next faces Stanislas Wawrinka, who beat Nicolas Almagro 6-3 6-3.

Andy Murray secured his place in the last eight when opponent Julien Benneteau was forced to retire hurt at 6-5 down in the first set, having suffered ankle and wrist injuries during a heavy fall in the 11th game.

Murray will now face Tomas Berdych in the last eight, after the Czech sixth seed survived a stern test of his credentials from Kei Nishikori before dispatching the Japanese player 2-6 6-2 6-4.

Fourth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 7-6 (9-7) 6-2 and will face fellow Frenchman Gilles Simon in the last eight after the ninth seed beat Serbia's Janko Tipsarevic 6-0 4-6 6-1.