Top-seeded Alexander Zverev advanced to the quarterfinals of the Cologne Indoors by beating Fernando Verdasco 6-4, 6-1 Thursday.
Zverev was playing indoors for the first time this year after a mixed record on indoor hard courts in 2019. He has been strong in those conditions in the past with three career indoor titles, including the 2018 ATP Finals.
Zverev had seven aces and didn't face a break point against Verdasco. He will next play Lloyd Harris in the quarterfinals.
Zverev is looking for his first title of the year and his third in his native Germany following victories at the clay-court Munich tournament in 2017 and 2018.
Roberto Bautista Agut booked his place in the quarterfinals after defeating the experienced Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-4, 7-6 (5). His reward is a match against Hubert Hurkacz.
Third-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime earned a 6-4, 6-1 win against qualifier Henri Laaksonen. The Canadian next faces Radu Albot of Moldova for a place in the semifinals.
Eighth-seeded Marin Cilic was upset 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2 by Spanish player Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who set up a quarterfinal against Austria's Dennis Novak.
