Rafael Nadal dropped just one game as he brushed aside
the challenge of Denis Istomin in under an hour to reach the last 16 of the
Sony Open in Miami.
The Spaniard - looking to win a tournament that has so
far eluded him during his illustrious career - was at his ruthless best as he
dismissed his rival from Uzbekistan in a real hurry.
He converted six of the seven break-point chances he
created while Istomin didn't help his own cause by committing no fewer than 22
unforced errors.
The 6-1 6-0 result for Nadal follows on from a
straight-sets win over Australian Lleyton Hewitt in the previous round, proving
the world number one's early exit in Indian Wells last time out was just a
temporary blip.
"I played a very complete match," he said on
the ATP Tour's official website.
"No mistakes, serving with good percentage, and
playing a lot of winners. My movements were better than what I did in the last
events."
Nadal will next face Italy's Fabio Fognini who had to dig
deep to beat Roberto Bautista Agut 4-6 6-3 6-3.
Wawrinka through
Stanislas Wawrinka also progressed at Crandon Park with a
7-5 6-4 victory over Edouard Roger-Vasselin.
The third-seeded Swiss, who has never before reached the
quarter-finals of the Masters Series event, overcame his French opponent after
one hour and 34 minutes on court.
However Wawrinka didn't have things all his own way
against Roger-Vasselin, who missed opportunities to get the first break in the
opening set before eventually losing his own serve in the 12th game.
The second set saw the reigning Australian Open champion
ease out to a 4-1 lead, only for Roger-Vasselin to draw level by winning the
next three games in a row.
Wawrinka, though, recorded a third break to move 5-4
ahead and then duly sealed the win in style, lashing a forehand winner to
register his 15th success in his last 16 outings.
"I'm happy the way I was fighting, the way I was
positive in the game," the Swiss said. "Even if I was wasn't moving
or playing so as well at the beginning, I stayed with him."
Wawrinka will next face Alexandr Dolgopolov, the Ukrainian
having rallied from a set behind and then a break down in the decider against
Dusan Lajovic to win a see-saw contest 3-6 6-0 7-6 (7/5).
Seeded trio Tomas Berdych, John Isner and Milos Raonic
also progressed through to the last-16 after comfortable wins.
Czech seventh seed Berdych eased past Joao Sousa 6-2 6-4,
American Isner, seeded 10th, overcame Nicolas Almagro 7-5 6-3, while 12th seed
Raonic thrashed Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-1 6-2, with Benjamin Becker also
through after seeing off Aljaz Bedene 6-3 7-5.
Culled from Skysports
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