Goran Ivanisevic's second match since returning from injury ended in defeat to Tommy Robredo in Milan. Ivanisevic served well against the third seed but was narrowly beaten 6-4 5-7 7-6 (7/4) after nearly two hours.
The 32-year-old former Wimbledon champion was playing his first tournament for eight months after shoulder, elbow and knee problems.
Ivanisevic is hoping to play at Wimbledon this year for the first time since he won in 2001.
Thomas Johansson continued his comeback from knee surgery with a 6-3 6-3 victory over Raemon Sluiter.
The Swede, who won the 2002 Australian Open, broke the unseeded Dutchman in the sixth game of the first set and twice in the second.
Johansson faces Slovak Karol Kucera, who beat seventh seed Sargis Sargsian 6-2 6-1, in the quarter-final.
Croatia's Mario Ancic also made the next round with a surprise 7-5 6-2 win over Spanish number six seed Rafael Nadal.
Defending champion and second seed Martin Verkerk swept aside Frenchman Nicolas Escude to set up a last eight meeting with Frenchman Gregory Carraz.
Carraz edged past Slovakian Karol Beck in three gruelling sets.
Slovakian number eight seed Dominik Hrbaty was beaten by Russian Mikhail Youzhny, who now faces Frenchman Anthony Dupuis on Friday.
Dupuis clinched his place in the quarter-finals thanks to a 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 victory over Ivo Heuberger of Switzerland.
MMIX
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