Rafael Nadal, from Spain, serves against Fernando Verdasco, from Spain, during a match at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2011 in Mason, Ohio. Nadal is playing with tape on two fingers after burning them handling a hot dinner plate at a restaurant a few days ago. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
Rafael Nadal, from Spain, serves against Fernando Verdasco, from Spain, during a match at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2011 in Mason, Ohio. Nadal is playing with tape on two fingers after burning them handling a hot dinner plate at a restaurant a few days ago. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
Fernando Verdasco, from Spain, hits a forehand against Rafael Nadal during a match at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2011 in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
Rafael Nadal, from Spain, hits a backhand against Fernando Verdasco, from Spain, during a match at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2011 in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
MASON, Ohio (AP) ? Rafael Nadal held off fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco to pull out a 7-5 (5), 6-7 (4), 7-6 (9) win and reach the quarterfinals of the Western & Southern Open.
Verdasco unleashed 48 winners to Nadal's 29. But Verdasco committed 41 unforced errors to Nadal's 31 in the match, which lasted 3:37 in sunny, mid-80s temperatures.
The second-ranked Nadal improved to 12-0 in his career against the unseeded Verdasco.
Nadal still had two fingers on his right hand bandaged to protect burned fingertips. The left-handed Nadal said he got burned by touching a hot plate at a restaurant this week.
The match was the eighth to need three tiebreakers in the Open era and first since 2008.
Serena Williams' premature departure from the Western & Southern Open could pay big dividends for Samantha Stosur.
Stosur, capitalizing on an unexpected day of rest, returned to the court Thursday and upset fifth-seeded Li Na of China 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in the U.S. Open tuneup.
The 10th-seeded Australian was scheduled to face Williams Wednesday in the round of 32 before Williams withdrew after aggravating a right big toe injury.
"I wasn't complaining that (Williams) pulled out," said Stosur, who lost to Williams in the finals at Toronto last week. "I had a pretty easy day, which was nice, considering the week I had before. So I guess that was good for today's match, and hopefully will be good for tomorrow."
Stosur has beaten Li ? the French Open champion ? three times this season, including in the same round last week at Toronto.
Stosur became the first woman to reach the quarterfinals. Slovkia's Daniela Hantuchova followed when she upset eighth-seeded Marion Bartoli 6-3, 5-7, 6-3. Hantuchova improved to 5-1 all-time against Bartoli.
Associated Press
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