(CNN) -- Defending champions Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova moved into quarterfinals of their respective tournaments in Barcelona and Stuttgart Thursday as the build-up to next month's French Open gathers pace. 

Nadal is coming off a shock loss at the Monte Carlo Masters -- losing there for only the third time in 11 years -- but has showed little sign of an adverse reaction in his two matches to date on home clay. 

The world number one duly beat Ivan Dodig of Croatia 6-3 6-3 to earn a last eight clash against fellow Nicolas Almagro. 

Fellow Spaniard Almagro lost to Nadal in last year's final but earned his passage with a 6-3 6-3 success over Fernando Verdasco in another domestic clash. 

Nadal has won the title eight years out of nine in Barcelona and his passage to a ninth title has been eased by the shock exit of David Ferrer Wednesday to Teymeraz Gabashvili. 

It was second seed Ferrer who scored a rare win over his compatriot in Monte Carlo but he was unable to repeat this form against Gabashvili, who then secured his place in the last eight with a straight sets win over Inigo Cervantes. 

In other third round matches, 12th seed Marin Cilic of Croatia beat Spanish fifth seed Tommy Robredo 7-5 6-7 7-6, while Colombia's Santiago Giraldo saw off Dominic Thiem of Austria in another three-setter. 

Sharapova, who is returning to her best after injury, is the two-time defending champion on the red clay of Stuttgart and showed evidence of that class with a 6-4 6-3 over fellow Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in one hour 32 minutes. 
Did he gain another win?
he was unable 