By Alberto Amalfi | Wednesday, May 6, 2015

 

Reigning champion Rafael Nadal swept Steve Johnson, 6-4, 6-3, to score his 11th straight win in Madrid.

Photo credit: Mutua Madrid Open

Reuniting with this old Babolat racquet, Rafael Nadal showed his familiar ferocity in Madrid.

The reigning champion extended his Madrid winning streak to 11 matches sweeping Steve Johnson, 6-4, 6-3, in a clinical 74-minute opener.

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The four-time Madrid champion will face Simone Bolelli for a quarterfinal spot.

In an all-Italian second-rounder, Bolelli beat qualifier Luca Vanni 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. The Australian Open doubles finalist is through to a Masters 1000 third round for the first time since reaching the third round at the 2009 Monte Carlo Masters.

No. 6 seed Tomas Berdych defeated Estoril champion Richard Gasquet,7-6 (3), 7-5. Berdych will play Jo-Wilfried Tsonga next. The 12th-seeded Frenchman edged American Jack Sock, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (4).

John Isner pounded 23 aces to top qualifier Thomaz Bellucci, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (11), 6-1. The 16th-seeded American plays either top-seeded Roger Federer or Australian Nick Kyrgios, fresh off the Estoril final, next.

No. 10 seed Grigor Dimitrov rallied for a 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 triumph over Fabio Fognini, who beat Nadal in Barcelona.

"I didn't play my best today I must say," Dimitrov told ATP World Tour. "I think I was a little sloppy. But this is what defines me. Moments like that. When it's really hard I managed to pull it off, so I'm very happy with that one.

"I had to change it up a little bit. He was making winners from all over the court. I needed a new game so to speak. He was playing really good tennis."

Dimitrov, who was an Istanbul semifinalist last weekend, will play No. 8 seed Stan Wawrinka, who defeated Joao Sousa, 7-6 (1), 7-5, on Tuesday.   

Launching his quest for his first title since he beat fishing buddy Juan Monaco to win Buenos Aires in February, Nadal played high-percentage cross-court combinations and tormented Johnson's weaker backhand wing on crucial points.

Facing the fourth-ranked Spaniard on clay in his home country is a demanding task for any player, but the degree of difficulty spiked for Johnson on his worst surface. The left-handed Nadal dished out a steady diet of crosscourt forehands to Johnson's backhand, which is not nearly as dangerous his forehand.

Nadal served 82 percent for the match. Curling his serve into Johnson's backhand from the opening game, Nadal cruised through service games winning 20 of 25 points played on his serve and securing his only break point to take the opening set.

The 54th-ranked American took the court with an 0-6 lifetime record against Top 10 opponents, but began finding his footing and range in the second set. Johnson permitted just three points in his first three service games holding for a 3-2 advantage.

Nadal has admitted feeling nerves throughout this season, but looked comfortable playing the percentages today. He never allowed the American to reach deuce in any of his 10 service games and hit just eight second serves in the match, winning five of eight points played on his second delivery.

When Johnson sprayed an inside-out forehand wide, Nadal had double break point in the seventh game. Johnson saved the first. On the second, Nadal mis-hit a forehand that landed short in the court, coaxing his opponent forward. Johnson tried to finish with a forehand crosscourt, but Nadal read the shot, hit a backhand up the line and broke with a raised fist for 4-3.

Consolidating the break at 30, Nadal broke again to finish the 74-minute match when Johnson framed a forehand. Nadal, who is now 10-0 lifetime vs. Americans on clay, raised his 2015 clay-court record to 12-3.