Fourteen-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal stretched his perfect start to the European clay-court season to 11 matches with a routine 6-3, 6-3 win over Russia’s Andrey Kuznetsov to reach round three of the Mutua Madrid Open on Tuesday.
Defending champion Andy Murray began his defense of the title with a 7-6 (7/3), 3-6, 6-1 win over 37-year-old Czech Radek Stepanek to remain on course for a semi-final meeting with Nadal.
Nadal is today to continue his quest for a fifth title in Madrid against American Sam Querrey or France’s Lucas Pouille, who were to play later yesterday.
Photo: AFP
Nadal, looking for a record 50th career clay-court title in the Spanish capital, was rarely troubled by the world No. 39 Kuznetsov.
The Spaniard raced into a 3-0 first-set lead and one break was enough to seal the set as he staved off break points in the fourth game.
Kuznetsov made a more positive start to the second to lead 3-2, but was blown away as Nadal, ominously for his rivals later in the week, found his rhythm to win the last four games.
Nadal could face Murray in the last four in a repeat of last year’s final.
Murray needed three sets to overcome Stepanek, but eventually got the job done in 2 hours, 10 minutes.
Eleventh seed Milos Raonic also booked his place in the last 16 with a 6-4, 6-7 (3/7), 6-2 win over Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov.
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic was later yesterday to begin his campaign against Borna Coric after a three-year absence in Madrid. Frenchman Gael Monfils continued his fine form after losing to Nadal in the final of Monte Carlo last month, as he saw off Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-1.
Controversial Australian Nick Kyrgios set up an enticing second-round clash with fourth seed Stanislas Wawrinka as he battled past Argentine Guido Pella 7-6 (9/7), 6-4.
A dreadful week for Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov continued as he exited in the first round 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 to Pablo Carreno Busta two days after defaulting in the final of the Istanbul Open for a racket-smashing tirade.
Former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro scored an impressive 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 win over in-form 14th seed Dominic Thiem.
In the women’s tournament, a series of high-profile exits left just five seeds left in the draw.
World No. 7 Simona Halep thrashed Karin Knapp 6-1, 6-1 to set up a third-round clash with Timea Bacsinszky, as the 10th seed overcame Ekaterina Makarova 6-4. 5-7, 6-4.
Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro booked her place in the last 16 with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Germany’s Sabine Lisicki.
Sam Stosur and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova also reached the third round without having to hit a ball as 11th seed Lucie Safarova and Camila Giorgi withdrew.
In the second round of the women’s doubles, Taiwan’s Chuang Chia-jung and Darija Jurak of Croatia fell to a 6-0, 6-4 defeat to top seeds Martina Hingis of Switzerland and Sania Mirza of India in 53 minutes.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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