Lopez joins seeds exodus in Valencia

Valencia - American Steve Johnson ousted world number 16 Feliciano Lopez 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) to reach the quarter-finals as the seeds continued to fall at the Valencia Open on Thursday.

Indeed, the top five seeds all failed to make the last eight as Germany's Mischa Zverev shocked Fabio Fognini and Joao Sousa beat France's Benoit Paire in three sets.

Top seed and three-time champion David Ferrer withdrew from the tournament on Wednesday due to an elbow injury.

Portugal's Sousa will meet third seed Bernard Tomic's conqueror, Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas, in Friday's quarter-finals.

German qualifier Daniel Brands faces Canada's Vasek Pospisil after overcoming lucky loser Albert Montanes, who had replaced Ferrer, 6-2, 6-2.

Spanish hopes lie with Roberto Bautisita Agut, who faces Russian newcomer Andrey Rublev for the right to meet Johnson, and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez who takes on Japan's Taro Daniel later on Thursday.