74 in the world in November of 2008, defeated wildcard Russian Andrey Kuznetsov 6-1, 6-4 to advance to his fourth quarterfinal of the season.Stakhovsky's potent offense included winning 81 percent of his first serve points, while converting on three of four break point opportunities. The 23-year-old Ukrainian prevented his 18-year-old opponent from capitalizing on his three break point chances during the one hour and one-minute contest.Stakhovsky will now meet German Bjorn Phau in the quarterfinals. Phau advanced to his third quarterfinal of the year (Chennai and Houston), after his opponent Karol Beck retired during second round action due to respiratory illness.Stakhovsky and Phau have never met on the ATP World Tour. Winning 91 percent of his first serve points (30-33) and striking seven aces during critical junctures of the contest allowed Cilic to improve his match record on the season to 42-18.The Croat, who will attempt to capture his third 250-point tournament of the year (Chennai and Zagreb), also advanced to the finals of the Beijing earlier this month, losing to Novak Djokovic.Cilic can not add any points to reaching the London finals this week. The 21-year-old has already filled his 250-point category with wins in the aforementioned Chennai and Zagreb, leaving only pride and rhythm to be captured this week.The top seed will next meet No.
6 seed Felicano Lopez, who dismissed the entertaining game hometown hero Daniel Koellerer 6-3, 6-3.Lopez's blistering serve and net play were simply too strong for his diminutive opponent. Koellerer, who possesses tremendous foot speed and top-notch consistency was broken twice in each set, while capitalizing on only one of four break point opportunities.The determined Austrian will best be remembered this season for his show-stopping, third-round effort against eventual US Open champ, Juan Martin del Potro. The New York battle featured four high quality sets and many standing ovations.With the loss, Koellerer fell to 10-16 on the season. Rafael Nadal) and will take a 1-0 head-to-head lead into Friday's quarterfinal encounter with Cilic.Elsewhere, No.
3 seed Gael Monfils is currently tied at one set a piece against unheralded Czech Jan Hajek.Monfils, who is still in contention to qualify for one of the two remaining spots in the Barclays ATP World Tour finals, will have to dig deep if he is to advance.Remaining matches on Thursday will include:The highest-ranked Austrian in the event, No. 7 seed Jurgen Melzer, taking on veteran Domink Hrbaty; while rebounding Serb Janko Tipsarevic faces the brute force of Michael Berrer.Melzer will attempt to gain his 33rd win of the season, while Tipsarevic will by vying to advance to his fifth quarterfinal of the year Grand Prix Tennis de Lyon FranceNo. 3 seed Ivan Ljubicic prevented Nicolas Kiefer from capturing his second consecutive epic win of the tournament, defeating the veteran German 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 on Thursday.Ljubicic, who fired 27 aces throughout the one hour and 42-minute affair, lost momentum in the second set when Clement broke in the seventh game of the set to lead 4-3. The Frenchman saved six break points in the second set to tie the match at a set a piece.Ljubicic restored order in the final set, capturing the lone break point chance for either player to improve to 28-21 on the season.The hard-serving Croatian will next meet another Frenchman, Florent Serra Serra coasted by No.