Andy Roddick into last eight at Queen's Club

Third seed Andy Roddick became the first player into the quarter-finals of the Queen's Club championships with a comfortable 6-4 6-4 win against giant South African Kevin Anderson on Thursday.

One break of serve in each set was enough for the American four-times Queen's champion who was rock solid throughout on a bright day at the exclusive west London club.

The 2.03-metre Anderson stuck to his task but former world number one Roddick showed plenty of grasscourt nous to convert the few opportunities that came along.

"It was solid," Roddick, who cracked down two serves of 225 kph in the closing stages, said at courtside. "I had a game plan and was able to stick to it today. There were never going to be many breaks but that's grasscourt tennis."

Roddick, a popular player in London for his all-action style and three losing Wimbledon finals, will face seventh seed Fernando Verdasco in the last eight after the Spaniard beat Argentina's David Nalbandian 7-5 6-1.

Top seed Rafa Nadal continues his adaption to grass from clay later against Czech Radek Stepanek after second seed Andy Murray gives his suspect ankle another fitness test against Serbia's Janko Tipsarevic.