Twelve-time champion Rafael Nadal has eased into round three of the French Open, thrashing American Mackenzie McDonald in straight sets.
The Spanish second seed dropped only four games in a 6-1 6-0 6-3 win.
The 34-year-old, also looking to equal Roger Federer's record of 20 Grand Slam men's singles titles, was never troubled on Court Philippe Chatrier.
The claycourt master played deep, using his forehand to devastating effect to set up a meeting with Italian Stefano Travaglia.
After world No. 236 McDonald won the second game, Nadal bagged 11 games in a row to move two sets up and despite some resistance from his opponent early in the third set, he had no trouble improving his win-loss record at Roland Garros to 95-2.
"My objective is to play as well as I can and it was a good match for me today," says Nadal. "I'm very happy.
"I am just trying my best every single day. I am working hard in every practice to try to be better and better in every match.
"Today was not that cold, so that's the main thing... the conditions are not that bad.
"It's always special for me to play here in Paris on Court Philippe Chatrier."
Nadal looks to be on a semi-final collision course with Dominic Thiem, whom he beat in the last two finals in Paris.
Thiem has staved off a late comeback attempt by American qualifier Jack Sock in their first meeting on clay to win 6-1 6-3 7-6(6).
The US Open winner will meet Norwegian Casper Ruud in the next round.
Swiss 16th seed Stan Wawrinka has suffered a mid-match blip, before dismissing German Dominik Koepfer 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-1, and John Isner, who had lost his previous two matches against fellow Americans at the majors, was beaten by compatriot Sebastian Korda 6-4 6-4 2-6 6-4.
Reuters
