Nadal outclasses Dimitrov to rack up 70th Monte Carlo win

Grigor Dimitrov was no match for Rafael Nadal, who breezed into the Monte Carlo Masters quarter-finals.

Rafael Nadal returns a shot during his match against Grigor Dimitrov at Monte Carlo Masters.

Three-time defending champion Rafael Nadal made short work of Grigor Dimitrov to rack up a 70th win at the Monte Carlo Masters on Thursday.

The Spaniard held a formidable 11-1 record against Dimitrov prior to the third-round contest and has now won five straight matches against the Bulgarian after a 6-4, 6-1 triumph.

Nadal, seeking a 12th title in Monte Carlo, dropped just five games in a semi-final meeting with Dimitrov 12 months ago and repeated the trick in a match lasting just over an hour and a half.

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Dimitrov responded to an early break with some neat touches at the net and levelled the set when Nadal tried to wrongfoot his opponent with a forehand that went long.

But, when serving to stay in the set, Dimitrov skewed a forehand wildly out and was outclassed in a one-sided second set.

Dimitrov went long with a forehand to fall behind 2-0 and, after saving a break point at 3-0, was broken again at 4-1 down when he could only put a fierce Nadal shot back into the net.

Nadal then routinely served out for the match to book a quarter-final meeting with Guido Pella.