World number one Rafael Nadal stormed into the quarterfinals of the $1.3 million ATP Rio Open on Thursday by hammering Spanish compatriot Albert Montanes 6-1, 6-2.
Nadal, in his first event since losing last month’s Australian Open final, needed only 74 minutes to book a last-eight date against the winner of a later match between Portugal’s 48th-ranked Joao Sousa and 87th-rated Spaniard Albert Ramos.
Nadal broke Montanes three times in each set while surrendering his lone service break in the second set as he improved to 3-0 all-time against his countryman, having yet to lose more than three games in any set against him.
A nagging back injury that has hindered Nadal since his Melbourne loss to Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka forced the 13-time Grand Slam champion to skip Buenos Aires last week.
That left his comeback for Rio, where he starts a clay-court season that he hopes will culminate in a ninth career French Open crown. Nadal will hope to go all the way further in Rio Open.
Nadal, in his first event since losing last month’s Australian Open final, needed only 74 minutes to book a last-eight date against the winner of a later match between Portugal’s 48th-ranked Joao Sousa and 87th-rated Spaniard Albert Ramos.
Nadal broke Montanes three times in each set while surrendering his lone service break in the second set as he improved to 3-0 all-time against his countryman, having yet to lose more than three games in any set against him.
A nagging back injury that has hindered Nadal since his Melbourne loss to Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka forced the 13-time Grand Slam champion to skip Buenos Aires last week.
That left his comeback for Rio, where he starts a clay-court season that he hopes will culminate in a ninth career French Open crown. Nadal will hope to go all the way further in Rio Open.