Andy reached the quarterfinals of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia with an assured 7-6(5), 6-3 victory over home favourite Simone Bolelli on Thursday.

After a rocky start, Andy settled into his game and produced the same professional, consistent and smart performance that saw him progress past Fish in the second round.

Buoyed on by the Italian crowd, Bolelli got off to a fast start, earning three break points in Andy’s second service game and converting with a dinked return, which Andy couldn’t pick up off his shoelaces.

However, Andy responded quickly, and was able to get the break back at 3-2 when a forehand into the net from Bolelli brought up a break point and Andy converted as another Bolelli forehand found the net.

The match continued at a stalemate until the first set tie-break. Andy played a very professional breaker, and after mini-breaks were exchanged early on, Andy was able to hold his nerve on the big points to make the difference. At 5-5 with Bolelli serving, two forehand errors from the Italian, who reached the Munich final last week, proved costly as Andy stole the tie-break 7-6(5).

Andy capitalized on his first set success by breaking early in the second set, a backhand error telling for Bolelli as he surrendered his serve to trail.

Andy was forced to save two break points at 3-2 with a nice forehand winner and an error from Bolelli. He then had four break point chances on the Italian’s serve, but could not convert and Bolelli continued fighting and held on for 4-3.

Serving at 3-5, Bolelli once again found himself in trouble on serve as a forehand long handed Andy his first match point. Andy did not need asking twice, a beautiful little backhand slice past the net rushing Bolelli secured the victory and a spot in the quarterfinals against either Tommy Robredo or Nikolay Davydenko.

Afterwards, Andy was in jovial mood as he spoke to Sky Sports, who were predicting great things for Andy after his two early wins in Rome, even suggesting that, with two Americans in the quarterfinals (James Blake also won on Thursday), Spain may be getting nervous about September’s Davis Cup semifinal.

“Let’s calm down, let’s not get carried away,” Andy laughed. “We won two matches; at last check Rafa [Nadal] had won something like 103 out of 105. We won two, he lost two!”

Talking more seriously, Andy said: “The good thing for me today was the way I hit my backhand, if I’m hitting like that it makes my job easier.

“He’s had great form on clay with a final last week and rolling through his matches here; it’s a good win for me.”

Stay tuned to andyroddick.com for all the latest news and views from Rome.

Go Andy!