( CNN ) -- Two-time runner-up Roger Federer must wait another year before he can win his first Rome Masters title after suffering a shock third-round defeat on Thursday . The Swiss third seed 's French Open build-up suffered a blow when he was beaten by Richard Gasquet for the first time in the last nine meetings between the two players and just his second overall . The French 16th seed triumphed 4-6 7-6 ( 7-2 ) 7-6 ( 7-4 ) in a match lasting two hours 20 minutes as he earned a quarterfinal clash with Czech seventh seed Tomas Berdych at the clay event . `` I had multiple chances . That is how it goes , '' 16-time grand slam champion Federer told the ATP Tour website after his second loss against a player outside the top three this year . Djokovic 's No . 1 dream is fast becoming reality . `` Sometimes it is unfortunate because I was playing well and then it did n't happen at all anymore , so it was a disappointing end to the match . `` But it will not affect my preparation and work for the French Open , I will be fine . I definitely think I should not have lost this match , and that is kind of annoying . '' World No . 1 Rafael Nadal bounced back from his poor showing in beating Italian qualifier Paolo Lorenzi in three sets on Wednesday as he disposed of fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez . The five-time Rome champion won 6-4 6-2 in just 86 minutes to set up a quarterfinal against Croatia 's Marin Cilic , who beat American 11th seed Mardy Fish 7-6 ( 8-6 ) 6-3 . Nadal , seeking a third successive title , must beat Cilic to prevent Novak Djokovic taking his title as the world 's top player . `` I had a fever this morning but I feel better now . Certainly I did n't really understand why yesterday I felt slow and without energy , and I understand now better today , '' said Nadal , whose two-year winning streak on clay was ended by Djokovic in the Madrid final . `` That is that and I am here to fight and to try my best like I have always done . I am ready for everything . '' Second seed Djokovic extended his unbeaten run to 34 matches this year with a 6-4 6-1 victory over Stanislas Wawrinka , who he also beat in the 2008 final . The Serbian , who is closing on John McEnroe 's record of 42 straight wins at the start of 1984 , needed just 93 minutes to move past the Swiss 14th seed . Djokovic , who turns 24 on May 22 , will face Swedish fifth seed Robin Soderling in the last eight . Soderling , the French Open runner-up for the past two years , battled past Spanish ninth seed Nicolas Almagro , winning 6-3 3-6 6-4 in just over two hours . British fourth seed Andy Murray also moved into the quarterfinals with a 6-2 6-3 win over Italy 's Potito Starace . He will next play unseeded German Florian Mayer , who beat Argentina 's Juan Ignacio Chela 7-5 6-4 . If Murray and Djokovic both reach the semis , it will mean a rematch of January 's Australian Open final -- which the Serbian won . Meanwhile , former women 's world No . 1 Serena Williams will not make her long-awaited comeback at the French Open , which starts later this month . The American has not played since winning her 13th grand slam singles title at Wimbledon in June 2010 , after which she badly cut her foot in a freak accident in a restaurant . The 29-year-old , whose only title in Paris came in 2002 , was further delayed in returning to action when she suffered a pulmonary embolism in February . `` While I am making good progress , unfortunately I wo n't be able to compete in Roland Garros , '' she said in a statement on Thursday . `` I am grateful for every moment I have and the fact that I have returned to the court . I am hopeful that I will be back competing this summer . Thank you all for your continued prayers . '' Current No . 1 Caroline Wozniacki reached the quarterfinals in Rome after beating Belgium 's Yanina Wickmayer 6-1 7-6 ( 7-4 ) on Thursday . The 20-year-old Dane will next play two-time champion Jelena Jankovic , who was last year 's runner-up . The Serbian fifth seed progressed with a 6-4 2-6 6-2 win over Spain 's Anabel Medina Garrigues . French Open champion Francesca Schiavone came from behind to beat Slovakia 's Daniela Hantuchova 3-6 6-2 7-5 . The Italian second seed set up a rematch of the 2010 Roland Garros final with Australian No . 6 Sam Stosur , who defeated Slovenian qualifier Polona Hercog 6-3 6-4 . Chinese fourth seed Li Na booked her place in the last eight with a 6-2 6-1 win over Australia 's Jarmila Gajdosova . The Australian Open runner-up will take on unseeded Hungarian Greta Arn , who battled past Russia 's Elena Vesnina 3-6 7-6 ( 7-3 ) 7-6 ( 7-3 ) in more than three hours as she rallied from 5-3 down in the final two sets and saved two match-points . Russian seventh seed Maria Sharapova ended the hopes of Israeli No . 10 Shahar Peer as she triumphed 6-2 6-2 . The former world No . 1 will next face third seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus , who overcame Russian No . 16 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4 4-6 6-2 in two hours 16 minutes .
Third seed Richard Gasquet knocked out of Rome Masters by Richard Gasquet . World No . 1 Rafael Nadal reaches quarterfinals , where he faces Marin Cilic . Serena Williams extends his winning run to 34 matches and will play Roger Federer . Roger Federer announces she is not ready to make her comeback at Russian Open .