Verdasco ends Thiem's Rio Open title defence, Monfils exits

Rio, February 24: Fernando Verdasco crushed defending champion Dominic Thiem to move into the Rio Open semi-finals, while Gael Monfils was eliminated.

Verdasco made it three wins in as many meetings with Thiem, claiming a 6-4, 6-0 victory in just 86 minutes in the last-eight clash in Brazil.

The Spanish eighth seed saved all four break points he faced while converting four of 13 in a deserved victory.

Verdasco had beaten Thiem at Wimbledon in 2015 and in Paris last year, his latest victory improving his head-to-head record over the Austrian to 3-0.

His next opponent is Fabio Fognini, the Italian fifth seed and and 2015 runner-up rallying past Aljaz Bedene 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 6-1.

Monfils' run was ended in the quarterfinals as the flamboyant Frenchman was comprehensively beaten by Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 6-4.

Schwartzman, the sixth seed, will meet Nicolas Jarry, who continued his run by upsetting seventh seed Pablo Cuevas 7-5, 6-3.