Rusedski fends off Lapentti

Rusedski enjoys a welcome return to form

Greg Rusedski has earned a place in the last eight of the Legg Mason Classic, with a 7-6 6-3 win over Ecuador's Nicolas Lapentti.

The British number two, seeded 12th in the Washington tournament, had to work hard to win a first set tie-break.

But he then took control, powering past a seventh-seeded opponent, who had won three of their previous five meetings on the ATP Tour.

Rusedski will now face top seed Andre Agassi, who breezed past Spain's Fernando Vicente 6-2 6-2.

Elsewhere, Marcelo Rios of Chile advanced to the last eight with a 7-6 6-3 victory over defending champion Alex Corretja, of Spain.

Rios' next opponent will be American Andy Roddick, who recorded a 6-2, 7-5 victory over fifth-seeded Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia.

Tenth-seeded Sjeng Schalken, of the Netherlands, advanced when sixth seed Jan-Michael Gambill of the United States, withdrew because of an injured shoulder.