Murray suffers setback; Williams sisters advance ROME — Top-ranked Novak Djokovic overcame a poor first set and a smashed racket to beat 14th-seeded Juan Monaco 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 Thursday and reach the Italian Open quarterfinals. With the wind whipping the red-clay surface into the air at the Foro Italico, Djokovic struggled with both his serve and backhand in the opening set before settling down and wearing Monaco out as the match progressed. Briton Andy Murray suffered a setback in his French Open preparations as he was ousted 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 by Richard Gasquet in the third round. The world No. 4 dominated the first set tiebreak but was made to pay for missing 15 of 17 break points as he lost to the 22nd ranked Frenchman in just under three hours. Gasquet next meets Spain's David Ferrer, the sixth seed winning 6-0 7-6 against Gilles Simon of France. On the women's side, Serena and Venus Williams had an easier time advancing. Ninth-seeded Serena rolled past Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain 6-3, 6-1 to extend her winning streak to 16 matches after winning titles in Charleston, South Carolina, and Madrid. Serena called for the trainer while leading 4-1 in the second set and had her left ankle taped. She then easily won the final two games. Older sister Venus eliminated fifth-seeded Samantha Stosur 6-4, 6-3. She will next face defending champion Maria Sharapova, who beat thirteen-seeded Ana Ivanovic 7-6(4) 6-3. Serena's quarterfinal opponent will be Italian hope Flavia Pennetta, who routed Petra Cetkovska of the Czech Republic 6-0, 6-1. Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova struggled before advancing with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 win over Sorana Cirstea of Romania. Her quarterfinal opponent will be twelveth-seeded Angelique Kerber, who easily beat fellow German Julia Goerges 6-4, 6-1. Venus' victory is projected to put her in line for a place in the United States Olympic team, a remarkable achievement in her comeback after she was diagnosed with Sjogren's Disease, which saps her energy, during last year's US Open. In other men's action, seventh-seeded Tomas Berdych eliminated twelfth-seeded Nicolas Almagro 7-6 (3), 6-3. Berdych, the runner-up to Roger Federer at last week's Madrid Open, will next meet five-time Rome champion Rafael Nadal, who beat compatriot Marcel Granollers 6-1, 6-1. World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka suffered a blow to her French Open preparations when she was forced to pull out of the Italian Open with a right shoulder injury Wednesday. Azarenka had shown no sign of discomfort when she walloped Israel's Shahar Peer 6-1, 6-2 in the second round but the WTA announced her withdrawal shortly after the victory to the surprise of everyone in the Foro Italico.
