Nadal faces ‘difficult’ clash against Thiem

MONTE CARLO: World No 1 Rafael Nadal cruised to a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Russian Karen Khachanov on Thursday to set up a “difficult” Monte Carlo Masters quarter-final against Dominic Thiem, after the Austrian stunned Novak Djokovic.

Nadal needs to win an 11th Monte Carlo title to stay clear of Roger Federer at the top of the world rankings, and the 16-time Grand Slam champion made short work of Khachanov.

Khachanov held his own at times in the opening set, but Nadal moved through the gears and claimed his second comfortable victory of the week after his opening win over Aljaz Bedene.

“A good victory. Straight sets against a difficult opponent. That’s the real thing,” said Nadal.

Thiem should provide a sterner test in the last eight, after the fifth seed came from a set down to beat Djokovic.

Nadal has lost twice to Thiem on clay, but produced a dominant display in the French Open semifinals last year en route to his 10th Roland Garros title.

“It’s going to be a difficult match,” the 31-year-old Nadal added.

“(He) is a player that plays so good in every surface, but especially on clay. He hits the ball hard.

“I can’t let him play from good positions because he has lot of power... I need to play aggressive, with a higher intensity than him, then we’ll see.”

Nadal is bidding for a record 31st Masters title and 24th on clay, and he was far too good for his 21-year-old opponent in the second set.

Thiem, a two-time French Open semi-finalist, was the better player for much of his match against Djokovic and won 6-7 (2/7), 6-2, 6-3.

The Austrian says he will take confidence from his previous wins against Nadal into today’s clash.

Earlier on Thursday, third seed Alexander Zverev came through a three-set tussle with fellow German Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

But Frenchman Richard Gasquet denied Zverev a meeting with his older brother Mischa by seeing off the serve-and-volleyer 6-2, 7-5 to claim his 500th win on the ATP Tour.

Belgian sixth seed David Goffin held off a late fightback from Roberto Bautista Agut to reach the last eight with a 6-4, 7-5 win.

Goffin will play fourth seed Grigor Dimitrov for a place in the semi-finals in a repeat of last year’s ATP Tour Finals final, after the Bulgarian came back from a set and a break down to beat Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Second seed Marin Cilic is also into the last eight, after Milos Raonic pulled out with a right knee injury before their thirdround match on Thursday.

Croatia’s Cilic will take on Kei Nishikori in the quarter-finals, after the Japanese continued his return to form by beating Italian qualifier Andreas Seppi 6-0, 2-6, 6-3.