Chronicle EditorBARCELONA. — Rafael Nadal continued his perfect start to the European clay-court tennis season by easing past fellow Spaniard Albert Montanes 6-2, 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals of the Barcelona Open yesterday.
Nadal is looking to equal Argentine legend Guillermo Vilas’ record of 49 clay-court tournament wins and capture a ninth title in the Catalan capital having claimed the Monte Carlo Masters last week.
The 14-time Grand Slam champion has suffered shock defeats in Barcelona in the past two years, but looks back close to his best on his favoured surface as he won eight of the last 10 games to take his career record over the 35-year-old Montanes to 4-0 in just over an hour on court.
Nadal was first on centre court due to a reschedule caused by a morning rain delay, but was much more at ease with conditions having complained of the strong winds during his second-round win over Marcel Granollers on Wednesday.
“It was much nicer today. It was a strange day because it rained all morning but the truth is there is no comparison between today and yesterday,” said Nadal. — AFP.
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