Berdych keeps Stockholm title defence on track
Defending champion Tomas Berdych surged into the Stockholm Open quarter-finals with a 6-3 6-4 win over Alexander Zverev.
Tomas Berdych led the way at the Stockholm Open on Thursday as all four seeds in action recorded straight-set wins to reach the quarter-finals.
Berdych - the top seed and defending champion - played with the freedom that comes with having secured a place at the ATP World Tour Finals last week as he swept aside Alexander Zverev 6-3 6-4.
The Czech took the opening set without facing a single break point and wrapped up his victory with six of the last seven games, coming from 3-0 down to progress.
Next up for the world number five is another former champion in Grigor Dimitrov, the Bulgarian moving a step closer to replicating his 2013 triumph after bearing Nicolas Almagro.
Dimitrov made a flying start to the match by taking the opening three games before a second break of the set saw him move ahead after 32 minutes.
Almagro found his rhythm in the second set and looked to be taking the match to a deciding set until his serve faltered in the 10th game, Dimitrov accepting the opening to seal victory.
Second seed Richard Gasquet was gifted his place in the last eight when Steve Darcis was forced to retire with the score 6-1 2-0 to the Frenchman.
That gave Gasquet his place in the next round and left Belgian Darcis hopeful the ankle problem will not hamper his preparation for next month's Davis Cup final against Great Britain.
Compatriot Jeremy Chardy stands in the way of Gasquet and a semi-final place, the sixth seed edging a second-set tie-break to progress 6-3 7-6 (7-2) against Federico Delbonis.