Rafael Nadal launched his bid for a sixth Barcelona Open title with a 6-1 6-1 demolition of Daniel Gimeno-Traver.
Five-time champion thrashes compatriot at Barcelona Open
Rafael Nadal's bid for a sixth Barcelona Open title got off to a perfect start with a 6-1 6-1 demolition of Daniel Gimeno-Traver on Wednesday.
A winner of five consecutive titles at the Real Club de Tenis between 2004 and 2009, Nadal took just 55 minutes to dispatch his fellow Spaniard.
The 24-year-old, who missed last year's tournament with a knee injury, broke Gimeno-Traver's first two service games to set up a formidable lead in the opening set.
His 60th ranked opponent had no answer to Nadal's searing ground strokes and the world number one sealed victory with a trademark forehand winner down the line on his second match point.
Nadal will face Santiago Giraldo in the last 16, after the Colombian came through his second round clash against Albert Ramos 6-3 4-6, 6-3.
"I played quite a good match," said the 24-year-old world number one. "At times he made more mistakes than probably he usually would and I was able to make the most of that.
"I am very pleased to be back here in Barcelona after not being able to make it last time."
Aggressive
In sharp contrast to Nadal it was a day to forget for third seed Robin Soderling, who was dumped out 6-2 6-4 by the unseeded Ivan Dodig.
Soderling, runner-up at the French Open for the last two years, saw his serve broken five times by the 56th-ranked Croat.
The defeat means that the Swede will miss out on a possible meeting with Nadal in Saturday's semi-finals.
Fourth-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer, who lost to Nadal in the final in Monte Carlo last week, cruised to a 6-2 6-2 victory over Carlos Berlocq of Argentina.
And unseeded Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero also went through, beating Germany's Mischa Zverev, who had replaced injured second seed Andy Murray, 6-4 7-5.
Veteran Ferrero, playing for the first time since the US Open following wrist and knee surgery in October, said he was pleased with his form.
"I played better than yesterday, when I was starting to cramp at the end," said the 31-year-old former number one. "Today I tried to be more aggressive but the body is still feeling it."
