Rafa Nadal provided a claycourt lesson for one of the game’s young apprentices at the French Open when he crushed rising Austrian Dominic Thiem with a masterly display to reach the third round yesterday.
The eight-times champion showed flashes of his intimidating best in a 6-2 6-2 6-3 win that was tougher than the scoreline suggested but was never seriously in doubt against a player of whom grand things are expected.
While world No.1 Nadal improved his Roland Garros record to 61-1 in ruthless fashion, prospective semi-final opponent Andy Murray cruised into the third round by outclassing Australia’s Marinko Matosevic.
Fifth seed David Ferrer, one of three players to beat Nadal on his favoured claycourts this season, also wasted little energy reaching the last 32, demolishing Italian Simone Bolelli 6-2 6-3 6-2.
After the seismic shock of defending champion Serena Williams’s second round exit on Wednesday the women’s draw was relatively incident free on Day Five, with Simona Halep and Jelena Jankovic among the leading seeds to progress.
Perhaps wary of the 20-year-old Thiem’s reputation as a rising force in the men’s game Nadal was quick to stamp his authority on Philippe Chatrier Court - the rectangle of Parisian clay that remains his fortress.
“I think it was a dangerous match, a dangerous opponent today,” Nadal, who appears to be slipping into the groove, said.
I think today I played a solid match, I knew that if I didn’t I would be in trouble.”
Nadal, who next faces Argentine Leonardo Mayer, is on a quarter-final collision course with last year’s runner-up and compatriot Ferrer.
“I am ready for the next round and was very happy with my performance, especially with my consistency,” Ferrer, next plays Italian Andreas Seppi, said after dismantling Bolelli.
Seventh seed Murray, the Wimbledon champion, produced a masterclass to win an entertaining, although one-sided, match 6-3 6-1 6-3 against Matosevic who was playing in the second round of a grand slamfor the first time having previously lost 12 first round matches.
Briton Murray, who will have a sterner test against Germany’s 28th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber in round three, was inevitably quizzed yet again on who would be his next coach following his split with Ivan Lendl.
“There have been a lot of different names that people mention,” Murray said. “Obviously Amelie (Mauresmo) this week, there was (Mats) Wilander, there has been (Jonas) Bjorkman, John McEnroe, (Martina) Navratilova, Leon Smith, Bob Brett.
“When the time is right I will make an announcement.”
In the absence of the Williams sisters, both beaten on Wednesday, 15th seed Sloane Stephens raised American spirits by easing past Polona Hercog 6-1 6-3.
Sixth seed Jankovic was forced to battle hard in the first set by Japan’s Kurumi Nara before the Serbian former world No.1 raced away for a 7-5 6-0.
Fourth seed Halep beat Britain’s Heather Watson 6-2 6-4 while two former winners also progressed to round three.
Ana Ivanovic sailed through with a 7-5 6-2 win over Elina Svitolina and Svetlana Kuznetsova laboured to a 7-6(5) 6-3 win over Italian Camila Giorgi.