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By Alberto Amalfi | Wednesday, May 13, 2015

 
Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal swept qualifier Marcel Ilhan, 6-2, 6-0, to set up a Rome round of 16 match with John Isner.

Photo credit: Christopher Levy

The No. 7 next to his name in the rankings looks oddly out of place, but Rafael Nadal looked right at home returning to his comfort zone in Rome.

Launching his quest for a 10th trip to the Rome final, Nadal made quick work of 87th-ranked Marsel Ilhan, 6-2, 6-0, to cruise into the round of 16.

Video: Nadal Says He's "Obviously" Not As Good

A larger challenge awaits Nadal in the next round when he takes on towering John Isner. The 16th-seeded American swept Leonardo Mayer, 7-6 (6), 6-4, in the first meeting between the pair.

Nadal scored a 7-6 (6), 4-6, 6-3 victory over Isner in Monte-Carlo last month to raise his record to 5-0 against the former all American. Isner has tested the nine-time Roland Garros champion on clay, pushing Nadal to five sets at the 2011 Roland Garros. Five of the last 10 sets they've played have been decider in tie breaks.

Ilhan was an ideal introductory opponent for Nadal, who has slipped out of the Top 5 for the first time in a decade. The qualifier is a baseliner without a major weapon, enabling the seven-time Rome champion to establish a rhythm in the opening set. Once he did, Nadal proceeded to carve up his opponent with angle and depth.

Slower conditions in Rome suit Nadal's game better than Madrid where the ball travels faster in higher altitude. Against the flatter-hitting Ilhan, Nadal had more time to set up for shots and plot points. He used his heavy top spin to push Ilhan back behind the baseline.

Ilhan's drop shot died in net giving Nadal the first break and a 2-1 advantage.

The fourth-seeded Spaniard backed up the break at 15 and when Ilhan poked a second serve into net, Nadal had a 4-1 double-break lead after 27 minutes.

The 87th-ranked Turk showed tenacity on serve fighting off four set points, including running down a drop shot and angling off a fine forehand reply on the third set point, eventually working through a tough hold for 2-5.

A misguided chip return failed to reach the net as Nadal served out the 43-minute opening set at love. Nadal won 11 of 12 points played on his first serve and saved the only break point he faced in the first set.

The seven-time champion broke twice in succession surging to a 3-0 second-set lead and never looked back wrapping up the win in 74 minutes. It was the first time Nadal has dished out a bagel set since he defeated Facundo Arguello, 6-4, 6-0, in the opening round of Buenos Aires in February.

Madrid champion Andy Murray continued his clay-court roll. Murray swept Jeremy Chardy, 6-4, 6-3, to raise his clay-court record to 10-0 on the season. Next up for the third-seeded Scot is either 13th-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or David Goffin.

No. 5 seed Kei Nishikori outdueled Jiri Vesely 7-6 (3), 7-5. Nishikori will face either 11th-seeded Feliciano Lopez, who beat him in Indian Wells earlier this year or Viktor Troicki for a round of 16 spot.

World No. 28 Guillermo Garcia-Lopez converted five of 15 break-point chances defeating qualifier Alexandr Dolgopolov, 6-4, 6-3.


 

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