Rafael Nadal beat Dominic Thiem 7-5 6-3 to advance to the quarter final of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters where he triumhed for the 8th time in his career. Nadal converted four of the eight break points and saved 15 of the 17 break point chances he faced against the young Austrian player, who beat the Spanish legend earlier this year in the Buenos Aires semifinal in three sets.
Thiem broke serve in the third game for 2-1 but Nadal broke back in the sixth game for 3-3. Nadal held his serve in a 15-minute 8th game for 4-4. The 8th time Monte-Carlo champion broke for the second time in the 12th game to clinch the first set 7-5. Thiem failed to convert 15 of his 16 break points in the 81- minute first set.
Thiem broke to love in the third game of the second set but Nadal broke straight back at deuce in the fourth game and won five of the next six games. Nadal broke for the second time in the second set at deuce for 5-3 before serving out for the match to love in just over two hours. Nadal scored his 55th win in the Monte-Carlo Country Club
In the quarter final Nadal will face Stan Wawrinka, who cruised past Gilles Simon 6-1 6-2 to advance to the quarter finals of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters. The 2014 Monte-Carlo champion did not leave any chances to Simon who held his first service game of the match in the fourth game of the second set.
Wawrinka converted five of his nine break point chances. Both players traded breaks for three consecutive games in the first set. Wawrinka broke in the second game to take a 2-0 lead. Simon broke straight back in the third game for 1-2 but Wawrinka got two more games for 3-1 and 5-1 en route to winning the first set 6-1. Wawrinka got a double break in the first game of the second set for 1-0 but he had to save three consecutive break points. Wawrinka got the double break in the fifth game to pull away to 4-1 before closing out the match in the eighth game with a down-the-line backhand.
Wawrinka beat Simon for the fourth time in career and for the third time on clay after winning two previous head-to-head matches in the Roland Garros in 2014 and 2015.
“It was an excellent match, a lot better than yesterday. From the start I was very strict with myself. I kept to my tactics. I was patient and attached him whenever I had the opportunity. My concentration was very good. This is important against Gilles. From the start I needed to dominate”, said Wawrinka.
