Third-seeded Tomas Berdych reached the quarterfinals of the Dubai Championships yesterday, overcoming a gritty challenge from former No. 3-ranked Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 7-6 (5).

Berdych is one of only three seeds left in the tournament, after eighth-seeded Ernests Gulbis of Latvia was upset by Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine 6-3, 5-7, 6-1.

In the other early match, Frenchman Richard Gasquet overcame a 2-5 deficit in the second set to beat Ukrainian qualifier Sergei Bubka 6-2, 7-5.

Gasquet should face compatriot Gilles Simon, who is favorite to beat the Czech qualifier Lukas Rosol, with an ensuing scenario of a Frenchman facing Roger Federer in Saturday's semis becoming likely.

Gasquet's encouraging fightback earned him a chance of winning three successive matches in an ATP World Tour event for the first time in five months. It also raised hopes that the 24-year-old former world No. 7 is containing the shoulder problems which have hindered his efforts to climb from last year's low of 86 back into the top ten again.