Nadal blasts past Bedene in Monte Carlo opener

Aljaz Bedene was swept aside by Rafael Nadal in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters.

Rafael Nadal made a flying start to his bid for an 11th Monte Carlo Masters title, breezing to a 6-1 6-3 second-round victory over Aljaz Bedene.

Nadal has only ever lost four matches in this event, winning 10 of the 11 finals in which he has taken part.

And the world number one sent an ominous warning to his rivals for glory in the principality with a straightforward win on Wednesday.

After storming into a 3-0 lead in the opening set, another break of serve saw Nadal take the first in convincing fashion.

 

World number 58 Bedene put up more of a fight in the second, surviving a break point in his opening service game before impressively taking his next two to love.

But the break finally arrived for Nadal in the seventh game of the set and, despite falling 30-0 down on his own serve in the next, the Spaniard held before wrapping up the win with his fourth match point.

Nadal will face Russia's Karen Khachanov in the next round, ahead of a potential quarter-final clash with Novak Djokovic.