Defending champion David Ferrer has advanced to the quarter-finals of the Rio Open with a 4-6 6-1 6-4 victory over fellow Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas.

Ferrer faces young Austrian Dominic Thiem in the last eight, a match up of one of the most consistent players on clay against a 22-year-old viewed as a star of the next generation.

Thiem defeated the King of Clay – Rafael Nadal – last week in the semi-finals in Buenos Aires en route to winning there.

Ferrer has won 26 ATP singles titles – five last season.

Nadal is seeded No.1 in Rio and played late against another Spaniard Nicolas Almagro.