Cruise for Nadal

Monaco mullered by six-time champion at Roland Garros

Last Updated: June 4, 2012 6:52pm

Rafael Nadal: Won 17 straight games during win over Juan Monaco

Rafael Nadal won 17 consecutive games in the process of handing out a 6-2 6-0 6-0 thrashing to Juan Monaco in the fourth round of the French Open.

The six-time champion at Roland Garros took one hour and 46 minutes to crush his Argentine opponent, who is considered a clay-court specialist, and cruise into the quarter-finals.

Monaco

did not look intimidated as the contest got underway and moved into a 2-1 lead in the first set after holding his second service game to love.

But that was as good as it got for the 13th seed as Nadal

broke for the first time in the fifth game and then again next time around to snap the spirit of his opponent.

After the Spaniard wrapped up the first set, he struck again thanks to a break early in the second, with Monaco squandering the chance to respond as he passed up two break points in the next game.

Breaks

Nadal then broke twice more to go two sets up before quickly opening up a 4-0 advantage in the third set.

Monaco celebrated ironically when Nadal sent a forehand long in the next game but it was not enough to check the momentum of an unstoppable display from the second seed, who completed the win with a dominant service hold.

Nadal will next face compatriot Nicolas Almagro after the number 12 seed also made it through to the last eight with a straight-sets success over Janko Tipsarevic.

Almagro prevailed 6-4 6-4 6-4 to set up the showdown with Nadal, who beat him in both his previous quarter-final appearances in 2008 and 2010.

"Nobody's going to give you a free gift during the quarter-finals in Roland Garros," said Almagro, who has lost all seven of his previous matches against Nadal.

"I will continue and play my game. I'll play my best tennis."