World No. 2 Novak Djokovic battled into the Rome Masters quarterfinals yesterday with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Thomaz Bellucci that was harder than the score suggests.

Spain's Fernando Verdasco returns to compatriot Guillermo Garcia-Lopez at the Rome Masters yesterday. Verdasco advanced. [Shanghai Daily]

Djokovic, the 2008 champion, had to come from a break down in each set against the Brazilian, who put up a lively display but at times had trouble keeping his big serve under control.

Against the 28th-ranked Bellucci, he got in just 57 percent of his first attempts - although he committed half as many unforced errors as the Brazilian player.

"I was down a break every set and it wasn't easy to get back on serve," Djokovic said. "He served well - very accurately - and got a lot of free points."

The Serb will be comforted by the ability he showed to raise his game when required before meeting in-form Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, who thrashed him in the semifinals of the Monte Carlo Masters two weeks ago.

Verdasco, fresh from his triumph at last week's Barcelona Open, booked his place in the last eight with a 6-4, 7-6 win over his compatriot Guillermo Garcia-Lopez and take his record on clay this year to 13-2.

"I've played a lot of matches against him on different surfaces and I've won most of them," Djokovic said of his 5-3 career record against Verdasco, adding that the Monte Carlo match "wasn't a real picture of my game."

"He's one of the best players in the world, but if I play aggressively and I'll be OK," he added.

Djokovic is aiming to reach his third consecutive final in Rome, having won in 2008 and lost to Rafael Nadal last year.