KEY POINTS:
Who can stop David Ferrer?
On yesterday's evidence, probably no one. No one in Auckland, at least.
The Heineken Open defending champion and top seed looked a cut above as he dispatched fellow Spaniard Oscar Hernandez and Argentinian Sergio Roitman in quick succession for a quarter-final spot.
Frenchman Julien Benneteau, ranked 74 in the world, will be the next to try to halt the Ferrer juggernaut.
His record of two wins in five matches against one of the form players of world tennis suggests he has some hope. The Frenchman also convincingly won the only meeting between the two on hardcourts in Monaco last year. Benneteau lost the first set of that meeting but won the next two 6-1, 6-0.
"He is a great player," Ferrer said.
"He serves very well and has a good volley so it is not easy. I lost the last match on hardcourt against him so I need to play very, very focussed."
On a catch-up day after Tuesday's rain, Ferrer appeared on centre court twice in the space of four matches. His first outing was little more than a warm-up, with the world No 5 taking just 57 minutes to destroy Hernandez 6-1, 6-2.
The entertaining Roitman looked to be going the same way when he lost the first set 6-1 but he rallied in the second to force a tiebreaker that Ferrer took 7-2. "I am happy with my game," Ferrer said. "I won two matches but it was not easy."
During the day, many of the Spaniard's main challengers fell away.
Second-seed Juan Ignacio Chela was outplayed in straight sets by German Florian Meyer.
Chela's defeat was a blow for hopes of the tournament serving up a strong competitor for Ferrer.
Meyer will meet his fellow German Philipp Kohlschreiber in today's quart-finals. Kohlschreiber, the seventh seed, needed three sets to battle past Croatian Marin Cilic.
Meyer didn't exactly bill the match as a tussle between two Bavarian buddies. "What do you mean friends? It is tough to say friends. You don't really have friends on the ATP Tour," he said.
Former world No 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero emulated Ferrer's feat of two wins on the day, as did Frenchman Michael Llodra.
Ferrero eased past lucky loser Jesse Levine 6-4, 6-1 before taking out a tougher battle against Austrian Jurgen Melzer. Ferrero, who will play Nicolas Massu today, looks to be the biggest threat to Ferrer in the top half of the draw.
Massu, the reigning Olympic champion, backed up his first round victory over Kiwi GD Jones with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Belgian Xavier Malisse. Massu controlled the match but stuttered on match point before eventually finishing Malisse at the fifth time of asking.
Kiwi interest in the tournament continues in today's doubles when Jones and Rubin Statham Luis Horna and Juan Monaco.
SCHEDULE
SOVEREIGN SINGLES
Centre court, quarter-finals, from 11am: (7) Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) v Florian Mayer (GER) followed by (4) Juan Carlos Ferro v (Q) Nicolas Massu (CHI), Michael Llodra (FRA) v Oliver Rochus (BEL) or (3) Juan Monaco (ARG). Not before 7pm, (1) David Ferrer (ESP) v Julien Benneteau (FRA).
SOVEREIGN DOUBLES
Centre court, following afternoon singles: Leos Friedl/David Skoch (CZE) or (WC) Dan King-Turner (NZL)/David Martin (USA) v Nicolas Almagro (ESP)/Sergio Roitman (ARG).
Court 4, from 11am: T Cibulec (CZE) / C Haggard (RSA) v Xavier Malisse (BEL)/Jurgen Melzer (AUT). To be arranged: Cibulec (CZE)/Haggard (RSA) or Malisse/Melzer v Oscar Hernandez/Albert Montanes (ESP) Jeff Coetzee (RSA)/Jaroslav Levinsky (CZE) v Martin Garcia (ARG)/Robert Lindstedt (SWE). Luis Horna (PER)/Monaco v (WC) GD Jones/ Rubin Statham (NZL). Horna/Monaco or Jones/Statham v Frantisek Cermak (CZE)/Lovro Zovko (CRO).
