Sweden's Robin Soderling returns the ball to Switzerland's Roger Federer in their singles match at the ATP World Tour Finals in London November 25, 2010. [Xinhua/Reuters File Photo]

Defending champion Robin Soderling saved a match point before defeating Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (9-7) on Thursday to book a place in the quarterfinals of the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam on Thursday.

Soderling will next meet Russian Mikhail Youzhny, the tournament winner of 2007. Youzhny beat Thiemo de Bakker, the last Dutchman in the tournament, 6-4, 6-4 to advance.

"Of course it was a tough one today, but I am sure it will be a tough one tomorrow too," Soderling saids afterwards.

After his first round stunt against Andy Murray, Marcos Baghdatis beat Feliciano Lopez in the second round on Thursday 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.

"Compared with the Murray match it could not be more difficult. Luckily I gave hardly any chances away," said Baghdatis.

In the other second-round matches, Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia beat French qualifier Benoit Paire 6-0, 6-4, Marin Cilic of Croatia defeated Austria's Jurgen Melzer 6-2, 6-4 and Russian qualifier Dmitry Tursunov lost 4-6, 6-4, 5-7 to Czech Tomas Berdych.

All quarterfinal matches will be played on Friday.