World No.2 Rafael Nadal of Spain has advanced to the quarter-finals of the ATP and WTA Miami hardcourt tournament with a 6-4 6-4 victory over Japanese 16th seed Kei Nishikori.

Nadal will face the winner of a later match between French sixth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and German 19th seed Florian Mayer for a berth in the semi-finals of the $US9.6 million ($A9.1 million) event.

In an earlier fourth-round match on Tuesday, Serbian ninth seed Janko Tipsarevic beat Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov 7-6 (7-3) 6-2.

Tipsarevic will next face the winner of a later match between British fourth seed Andy Murray and French 13th seed Gilles Simon.

The first two women’s quarter-finals were also scheduled later with Russian World No.2 Maria Sharapova to face Chinese eighth seed Li Na and US 10th seed Serena Williams playing Danish fourth seed Caroline Wozniacki.