He entered his first ATP Masters Series tournament of the year at the 2008 Pacific Life Open, and received a bye in the first round because of his seventh seeding. In the second round, he defeated Ernests Gulbis 6–4, 4–6, 7–6, and then came back to beat Radek Štěpánek 7–6, 0–6, 7–6. In the fourth round, he avenged his defeat by beating Juan Carlos Ferrero, to whom he lost earlier in the year at the Australian Open, 6–2, 6–2. He lost, however, in the quarterfinals against Mardy Fish 3–6, 7–6, 6–7, in a very close match. He lost at the Monte Carlo Masters to eventual finalist Federer, 7–5, 2–6, 2–6. In Barcelona, he was the third seed but was eliminated by Stanislas Wawrinka in the third round. At the 2008 Rome Masters, he fell in his opening match to Almagro, 4–6, 5–7.