October 20, 2011 - Stockholm - Top seed Gael Monfils overcame Australian Bernard Tomic in three sets 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-4 on Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals at the IF Stockholm Open.

Monfils saved seven break chances in the first set and converted one break giving him the edge to secure the set. Neither player broke serve in the second sending the set to a tiebreak where Tomic would gain the advantage and force a deciding set. In the final set Monfils found himself trailing a break early but managed to break back to level at 4-4. The Frenchman would close out the final two games to take the match in one hour and 50 minutes.

“It was a tough match,” said Monfils. “Bernard plays good. He’s young, he’s strong, he’s coming in great. He has a tricky game also. It’s not easy to come back on tour after struggling with injuries, so to find the rhythm was a bit tough, but still I think I played a tough match and it was great for me today.”

Finland's Jarkko Nieminen upset third seed Stanislas Wawrinka in straight sets 6-3, 6-4. Nieminen, a two-time finalist at Stockholm, converted three of eight break chances to take the match in 70 minutes.

Grigor Dimitrov also pulled off an upset on Thursday knocking out fourth seed Juan Ignacio Chela 6-2, 5-7, 6-1. “I was struggling a bit at the beginning of the set and definitely [Chela] was raising his game and he made great shots here and there,” said Dimitrov. “Got a bit confused, got into his game, and I lost focused a little bit in the second set.” Dimitrov hit five aces and won 70 percent of first serve points.

Also advancing Thursday was Argentine David Nalbandian, who cruised through seventh seed Ivan Dodig 6-1, 6-1; and Tobias Kamke, who beat Sebastian Rieschick 6-3, 6-1.