Four-time grand slam winner, Maria Sharapova defeated Australian Samantha Stosur by 6-4, 6-3 in the Madrid open on Thursday.

Sharapova did not give much chance to Stosur in the Spanish clay-court and bombarded with powerful aces to clinch thirteenth win on their fifteenth meet.

Sharapova will now meet world number two, Li Na in the quarter-final.

In another women's clash, Serena Williams thrashed Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro, to reach the quarter-final where she will meet powerful Czech, Petra Kvitová.

In the men's round, Andy Murray was thrashed in the third-round by the Colombian, Santiago Giraldo. Murray's form woes helped the Colombian to clinch an easy win by 6-3, 6-2.

Reigning champion Rafael Nadal was undisputed as he cruised to the Madrid open quarter-final, defeating Finland's Jarkko Nieminen by 6-1, 6-4. Nieminen, in the second-set was looking to clinch the set, but Nadal came out well and finally took away the match from the Finnish.

"For one hour probably I was playing the best tennis that I played for the last three weeks...After that I committed errors, so what I need to do is find more consistency," said Nadal.

Nadal will now face sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych in the quarter-finals on May 9.

Nadal had to face a shocking defeat against David Ferrer and Nicolas Almagro in the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters and the Barcelona Open respectively. However, Nadal was back in his form, forgetting the past disaster.

"I am happy because I think until 3-0 in the second set I played the best I have on clay since I started in Monte Carlo...It's just a question of finding my rhythm, my level of play and I am doing that little by little," Nadal said.

Japan's Kei Nishikori continued with his fine form, but had to face a tough challenge to oust eighth seed Milos Raonic by 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-5)