Murray, Raonic reach Barcelona quarters

Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray cruised into the Barcelona Open quarter-finals Thursday with easy straight-set victories.

Nadal broke Robert Farah of Colombia in the first game on his way to a 6-2 6-3 victory for his 31st straight win at the tournament, the six-time champion setting up a last eight match with fifth-seeded Janko Tipsarevic after the Serbian beat Frederico Gil 6-2 6-2.

“It may sound stupid but against players like him you have to go for victory, if you look for a fight you’ve already lost,” Tipsarevic told reporters. “Rafa is playing like he always does on clay, the best, but I’ll go out there looking to win and see what happens.”

Nadal beat Tipsarevic 6-1 6-0 6-2 in their last meeting, which came in the Davis Cup three years ago.

Murray made quick work of another Colombian in a 6-1 6-2 win over Santiago Giraldo, the fourth-ranked Briton serving up nine aces in a quick victory.

Murray will play Milos Raonic next after the 11th-seeded Canadian eased past Nicolas Almagro 6-3 6-3.

Also, Japan’s Kei Nishikori beat Spain’s Albert Ramos 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 and Feliciano Lopez also reached the last eight with a 6-3 6-1 victory over Jarkko Nieminen.

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