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Rome - Roger Federer saved two match points against Borna Coric to advance to the quarter-finals of the Italian Open on Thursday as defending champion Rafael Nadal and top seed Novak Djokovic raced through in straight sets.
However, Australian firebrand Nick Kyrgios was disqualified after a foul-mouthed rant during his third-round match against Norway's Casper Ruud which could land him with a lengthy suspension.
Federer came through 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (9/7) against 13th seed Coric after earlier beating Portugal's Joao Sousa 6-4, 6-3 in the second round as players doubled up after rain wiped out play on Wednesday.
Federer, a four-time finalist in Rome, trailed 0-4 before dropping the first set, coming back in the second and saving two match points in the third set tie-break.
"Definitely felt like I got a little lucky obviously," said Federer.
"Borna had the lead. There were crucial moments throughout the match, second set and third set, for me to stay in it. Things definitely went my way tonight."
Federer next plays Greek eighth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, who beat Monte Carlo Masters champion Fabio Fognini 6-4, 6-3.
Tsitsipas shocked Federer in the fourth round at the Australian Open in January.
Nadal, meanwhile, dropped just two games throughout the day, dispatching Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-1, 6-0 in the third round after earlier also dropping just one game against France's Jeremy Chardy.
"I have been improving every week," said Nadal, who next plays fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco as he targets a first title on clay this season before his French Open defence.
"It's been a peculiar clay court season for me. I had some tough period of time. Has been little bit difficult to hold the body and the tennis level for every day."
Djokovic, winner in Madrid last Sunday, beat German Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 6-0 after earlier easing past Canadian Denis Shapovalov 6-1, 6-3.
The four-time Italian Open winner next plays Argentine seventh seed Juan Martin Del Potro for a place in the semi-finals.
"I like the fact that I didn't play yesterday because I felt like I needed an extra maybe day of rest and recovery a little bit," said the Serb. "So it was perfect."
In the women's event, Japan's Naomi Osaka, the top seed, also won twice to retain the world number one ranking ahead of the start of the French Open.
She eased into the last eight with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Mihaela Buzarnescu after earlier beating Slovak Dominika Cibulkova by the same scoreline.
Osaka was at risk of losing her world number one ranking to Simona Halep but the Romanian was knocked out by Czech teenager Marketa Vondrousova losing 2-6, 7-5, 6-3.
Halep's defeat also guarantees Osaka's top seeding at the French Open.
Kyrgios's tournament finished early after he threw a chair across court in a tantrum, before storming off and being disqualified.
The controversial 24-year-old, who had marked his presence in Rome by criticising Djokovic and Nadal in an interview on Wednesday, started arguing with the umpire in the third set.
World number 36 Kyrgios had levelled the match at one set all but was given a game penalty early on in the third set for swearing.
His response was to kick out at a water bottle before throwing a chair onto the court, packing his bag and then storming off court, shouting 'I am fucking done’'
Kyrgios was automatically disqualified with Ruud winning 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 2-1 to advance to the third round before losing to del Potro.
"I think he got what he deserved," said Ruud of Kyrgios who was then fined €20 000 and made to forfeit his tournament winnings.
Kyrgios had already been at the centre of controversy during Wednesday's washout when he told the NCR Tennis Podcast that Djokovic had "a sick obsession with wanting to be liked".
Nadal was described by the Australian as "super-salty".
Fifth seed Dominic Thiem slammed tournament organisers after he was dumped out 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 by Verdasco.
Austrian Thiem complained competitors were left hanging around during the rain-impacted day 24 hours earlier.
"I really dislike how we players get treated at this tournament because yesterday was, in my opinion, not acceptable," said last year's French Open runner-up.
"I'm quite pissed about it. I was tired, exhausted, today because of all these shitty things," he added.
Japan's Kei Nishikori, the sixth seed, got past American Taylor Fritz 6-2, 6-4 and then Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany in three sets.
Czech second seed Petra Kvitova retired in her third round match against Greece's Maria Sakkari while trailing 7-5, 5-7, 4-0 in the third set.
Results from the ATP and WTA Italian Open in Rome on Thursday (x denotes seeding):
Men
Second round
Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt Denis Shapovalov (CAN) 6-1, 6-3
Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) bt Marco Cecchinato (ITA x16) 6-3, 6-3
Casper Ruud (NOR) bt Nick Kyrgios (AUS) 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 2-1 -- defaulted
Juan Martín Del Potro (ARG x7) bt David Goffin (BEL) 6-4, 6-2
Diego Schwartzman (ARG) bt Albert Ramos Vinolas (ESP) 7-6 (7/5), 6-1
Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) bt Marin Cilic (CRO x9) 6-2, 6-3
Kei Nishikori (JPN x6) bt Taylor Fritz (USA) 6-2, 6-4
Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x8) bt Jannik Sinner (ITA) 6-3, 6-2
Fabio Fognini (ITA x10) bt Radu Albot (MDA) 7-6 (8/6), 6-3
Roger Federer (SUI x3) bt João Sousa (POR) 6-4, 6-3
Fernando Verdasco (ESP) bt Dominic Thiem (AUT x5) 4-6, 6-4, 7-5
Rafael Nadal (ESP x2) bt Jérémy Chardy (FRA) 6-0, 6-1
Third round
Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) 6-3, 6-0
Juan Martín Del Potro (ARG x7) bt Casper Ruud (NOR) 6-4, 6-4
Diego Schwartzman (ARG) bt Matteo Berrettini (ITA) 6-3, 6-4
Kei Nishikori (JPN x6) bt Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-3
Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x8) bt Fabio Fognini (ITA x10) 6-4, 6-3
Roger Federer (SUI x3) bt Borna Coric (CRO x13) 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (9/7)
Fernando Verdasco (ESP) bt Karen Khachanov (RUS x11) 7-5, 3-6, 6-3
Rafael Nadal (ESP x2) bt Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO x14) 6-1, 6-0
Women
Second round
Naomi Osaka (JPN x1) bt Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 6-3, 6-3
Mihaela Buzarnescu (ROM) bt Julia Goerges (GER x16) 6-4, 3-6, 4-4 -- retired
Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP) bt Alize Cornet (FRA) 6-3, 3-0 -- retired
Kiki Bertens (NED x6) bt Amanda Anisimova (USA) 6-2, 4-6, 7-5
Markéta Vondroušová (CZE) bt Simona Halep (ROM x3) 2-6, 7-5, 6-3
Darya Kasatkina (RUS) bt Katerina Siniaková (CZE) 2-6, 6-4, 6-1
Johanna Konta (GBR) bt Sloane Stephens (USA x7) 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 6-1
Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP) bt Danielle Collins (USA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
Sofia Kenin (USA) bt Madison Keys (USA x13) 6-7 (2/7), 6-3, 6-4
Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) bt Belinda Bencic (SUI) 6-2, 2-6, 6-1
Maria Sakkari (GRE) bt Anett Kontaveit (EST x14) 6-3, 6-2
Petra Kvitova (CZE x2) bt Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) 6-0, 6-1
Third round
Naomi Osaka (JPN x1) bt Mihaela Buzarnescu (ROM) 6-3, 6-3
Kiki Bertens (NED x6) bt Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP) 6-4, 1-6, 6-3
Markéta Vondroušová (CZE) bt Darya Kasatkina (RUS) 7-5, 2-6, 6-2
Johanna Konta (GBR) bt Venus Williams (USA) 6-2, 6-4
Victoria Azarenka (BLR) bt Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP) 6-4, 3-1 - retired
Karolína Plíšková (CZE x4) bt Sofia Kenin (USA) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) bt Ashleigh Barty (AUS x8) 6-2, 6-3
Maria Sakkari (GRE) bt Petra Kvitova (CZE x2) 7-5, 5-7, 4-0 - retired
