Third-seeded Richard Gasquet of France was untroubled on his serve as be beat Inigo Cervantes 6-2 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals of the European Open on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT).

Gasquet won 92 per cent of his points on first serve, did not face a single break point and broke the Spaniard’s serve three times in a lopsided match.

Gasquet next faces either fifth-seeded countryman Gilles Simon or Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff.

Joining Gasquet in the last eight were fourth-seeded Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay and Italian Andreas Seppi.

Cuevas beat Slovak qualifier Jozef Kovalik 6-4 7-6 (7-4), firing 11 aces in their second-round match.

Seppi beat Dutchman Robin Haase 7-5 7-5 and next faces second-seeded Ferrer or Britain player Kyle Edmund.

In remaining first-round action, Simon beat Germany qualifier Yannick Maden, 6-3 6-2.

Simon, a losing sem-ifinalist to Andy Murray at the Shanghai Masters last weekend, was ruthless in converting five of six break-point chances.

Wildcard entry Steve Darcis of Belgium rallied to beat Benoit Paire 6-7 (8-6) 6-1 6-4.