Monfils cruises into last eight in Buenos Aires as seeds fall

Frenchman Gael Monfils brushed past Dusan Lajovic to reach the Argentina Open quarter-finals.

Gael Monfils cruised into the Argentina Open quarter-finals as seeds Pablo Carreno Busta and Fabio Fognini exited on Thursday.

Monfils, unseeded at the ATP 250 event in Buenos Aires, had few problems in a second-round win over Dusan Lajovic, progressing with a 6-4 6-3 victory.

The Frenchman, who reached the last eight at the Ecuador Open, is yet to drop a set on the clay in Argentina.

Monfils will next face local Leonardo Mayer, who upset fourth seed Fognini 6-3 6-3.

Fognini, the 2014 runner-up, had won his previous three matches against Mayer – including during his run to the final four years ago – but was well beaten on Thursday.

The second-seeded Carreno Busta also made an exit, edged by fellow Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 7-6 (7-5) 1-6 7-6 (8-6).

Garcia-Lopez twice came from a break down in the third set before battling through a thrilling tie-break.

He will face Federico Delbonis, who beat lucky loser Gastao Elias 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (8-6).