Nadal extends record claycourt run
The Rafael Nadal claycourt bandwagon rolled on to a record 69 consecutive wins as the Spaniard cruised to a 6-1 6-4 victory over Swede Thomas Johansson to reach the quarter-finals of the Barcelona Open.
The top seed, bidding to become only the second man to win the title in three successive years, lost just five points on his serve as he marched into the last eight.
Nadal said the fact that he was extending his record of consecutive wins on clay did not create any extra pressure.
"When I step on the court, I don't think about records," he said.
"I just think about the match itself and the opponent because they deserve respect.
"I have said many times that I will lose some time. I don't know if it will be here, or Rome, or Hamburg or Roland Garros, but I don't put a date on it.
"I think the record will be around for a long time, so there is no more pressure."
The first set was a stroll for Nadal as former Australian Open champion Johansson contributed to his own downfall with three double faults and a host of unforced errors.
Nadal ripped a backhand crosscourt winner to take the first set but the second was at least a contest as the Swede found his range on his serve, hitting five aces.
The Spaniard always looked to have the match in control, however, and he broke Johansson in the 10th game to advance after 70 minutes.
Nadal now will play Potito Starace after the Italian upset eighth seed Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina 6-4 7-6, clinching victory on his fifth match point.
Second seed Nikolay Davydenko scrambled into the last eight with a 7-6 7-6 victory over unseeded Italian Filippo Volandri, in a match containing 10 breaks of serve.
Volandri twice served for the first set but the Russian took the tiebreak 7-5. The Italian then led 5-2 in the second set but squandered three set points in the 10th game.
Davydenko broke for 6-5 but then lost his own serve only to come back from 5-3 down to win the tiebreak 8-6, clinching victory on his third match point.
He will play Argentine 12th seed Guillermo Canas, who beat Spanish qualifier Pablo Andujar 7-5 6-3.
Fourth seed David Nalbandian disappointed the home crowd as he eased past former French Open champion Carlos Moya 6-4 6-3.
The Argentine now plays fifth seed David Ferrer, who overcame a late wobble in the second set to beat Serbian qualifier Boris Pashanski 6-2 7-5.
Last year's beaten finalist, third seed Tommy Robredo, was upset 6-4 2-6 6-3 by Argentine Agustin Calleri, the 15th seed.
In the quarter-finals, Calleri will play unseeded Spaniard Oscar Hernandez, who ousted Finnish sixth seed Jarkko Nieminen 6-1 6-7 6-3.
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