Nadal uses ‘different energy’ to power past Ferrer

Top seed Rafael Nadal brushed aside the challenge of fellow Spaniard David Ferrer to maintain his bid for an unprecedented 12th Barcelona Open title.

Nadal was uncharacteristically edgy as he battled past Leonardo Mayer in his opening encounter, dropping a set for the first time in this competition since 2015, but was more authoritative against his old friend and rival.

In what could be the final competitive meeting between the pair – with Ferrer set to end his professional career at next month’s Madrid Open – Nadal prevailed 6-3 6-3 to move into the quarter-finals.

Nadal said on the ATP Tour website: “Big difference. It was a tough match in all ways yesterday. Today was a different energy, a different motivation.

“In general terms, for me, I needed to play with a different attitude to make a step forward, and that’s what I did.”

After claiming his 26th win over Ferrer in 32 matches, Nadal said of the former world number three: “He deserves much more. It has been an emotional day. Happy of course for the victory but very sad to say goodbye to one good friend and one friend (with whom) we shared all of these things.”

Fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas was denied an opportunity to avenge his defeat to Nadal in last year’s final as he suffered a shock three-set defeat at the last-16 stage to Jan-Lennard Struff.

The German was undeterred by his underdog status and followed up his win over world number three Alexander Zverev at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells last month with a 6-4 3-6 6-2 victory over his Greek opponent.

Third seed Dominic Thiem is a potential semi-final opponent for the winner of Nadal-Struff, the Austrian defeating home hopeful Jaume Munar 7-5 6-1 to set up a last-eight encounter against Argentina’s Guido Pella, who overcame Italy’s Benoit Paire 7-5 6-3.

Japanese fourth seed Kei Nishikori dispatched Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1 6-3 and will next take on Spanish lucky loser Roberto Carballes Baena, a 6-4 7-6 (2) winner over Cristian Garin.

Garin’s fellow Chilean Nicolas Jarry hit back from a set down to beat Bulgarian 13th seed Grigor Dimitrov 2-6 6-4 7-6 (2) and the lucky loser will face Daniil Medvedev after the Russian defeated America’s Mackenzie McDonald 6-3 6-2.

Pablo Cuevas produced a big upset in the second round of the Hungarian Open, edging out top seed Marin Cilic in a final set tiebreak.

The Uruguayan battled back from a set down and saved a match point to triumph 5-7 7-6 (6) 7-6 (3) after more than three hours on court.

Borna Coric and Nikoloz Basilashvili, the second and fourth seeds respectively, were also taken to a decider but both progressed.

Fifth seed Laslo Djere and the unseeded pair of Filip Krajinovic and Matteo Berrettini all eased through in straight sets.