Grigor Dimitrov has cruised to a 6-1 6-2 victory over defending champion Stanislas Wawrinka in the third round at the Monte Carlo Masters after less than an hour on court this morning.

The Bulgarian made an emphatic start to the match, breaking the Swiss early on to claim the first three games of the opening set.

Wawrinka managed to get off the mark, but Dimitrov attacked again to take his opponent's next service game before easily serving out the set, with the world number nine making numerous unforced errors.

Wawrinka held serve at the start of the second, but mistakes from last year's winner soon gave Dimitrov the lead again.

The Bulgarian had to save break points against his own serve in the seventh game of the set, but Wawrinka's returns deserted him as he tried to get back into the match.

Serving to stay in the tournament, Wawrinka was unable to regain his composure, playing a string of sloppy shots to give the ninth seed two match points, which he took when the Swiss fired long.

The result moves Dimitrov through to the quarter-finals, where he will face the winner of the match between Roger Federer and Gael Monfils.