Rafael Nadal fired off winners left, right and centre to hurtle into the Wimbledon quarter-finals with a ruthless 6-2 6-2 6-2 win over Joao Sousa.
The Spaniard was not pleased when he was seeded third at the grasscourt championships, despite his status as world number two, and even less happy when the draw put him on a second-round collision course with Australian maverick Nick Kyrgios.
Nadal has struggled to go far at Wimbledon in recent years, with fitness issues and the demands of his favoured clay-court season taking their toll on the two-time champion.
A run to the semi-finals last year, where he lost to Djokovic, was the first time he had progressed past the last 16 since reaching the 2011 final.
The Majorcan, whose movement was sharp against Sousa, underlined his credentials as one of the favourites with a clinical victory wrapped up in one hour and 45 minutes.
The Spaniard was not pleased when he was seeded third at the grasscourt championships, despite his status as world number two, and even less happy when the draw put him on a second-round collision course with Australian maverick Nick Kyrgios.
On Monday, however, he was all smiles as he enjoyed his quickest workout at this year`s tournament, ending Sousa`s bid to become the first Portuguese to reach the last eight of a Grand Slam with an ace.
He will next face either Tennys Sandgren or Sam Querrey of the United States for a place in the semi-finals.
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