Dan Evans swept aside Italy’s Thomas Fabbiano to advance to the quarter-finals of the Rothesay Open on a rain-affected day in Nottingham.

The British number two, who is top seed for the event, won 7-5 6-0 to set up a last eight meeting with Switzerland’s Marc-Andrea Huesler.

Huesler had dispatched fellow Briton Dan Cox, but Ryan Peniston moved into the next round with a 6-4 7-6 (4) success over Borna Gojo of Croatia.

Heather Watson failed to make the most of a bright start as she fell to a 7-5 6-2 defeat against Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic in the women’s event.

Watson was a break up in the first set and missed the chance to convert a set point before the world number 55 went on to wrap up a comfortable victory.

There was also disappointment for home wild card Jodie Burrage, who put up a credible performance in a 6-2 7-6 (4) to Chinese fourth seed Shuai Zhang.

Harriet Dart clawed back the second set against Italian third seed Camila Giorgi, with their match poised at 5-7 6-4 when play was suspended for the day.