Rafael Nadal booked his place in the last 16 of the Australian Open with a straight-sets win over the 25th seed Gael Monfils.
The Frenchman was competitive, but Nadal was in imperious form as he broke three times and then twice in the first two sets to go 6-1 6-2 ahead.
Monfils held his own in the third for a while, until the Spaniard broke before serving out for the match in what was the best performance from a player in the tournament so far.
Read how the action unfolded below.
Good morning all. We have what has the potential to be the best match so far at the Australian Open. It's Rafael Nadal against Gael Monfils.
It's a rematch of the Doha final, in which Nadal came out on top in a very good game. At times Monfils is one of the best players on the circuit to watch and he certainly has the potential to hurt Nadal, but he has always been so inconsistent that in a five-setter you'd be foolish to look past the Spaniard.
Under the lights of the Rod Laver Arena we are certainly expecting a lot of entertainment from these two players. I suspect the Frenchman's best chance will be to capitalise on some early rustiness - Nadal, remember, has only played four sets of tennis up to this point. Monfils is without a coach currently, too, so will have to be mentally prepared.
Here come the players! Monfils looks very, very determined and not his usual jovial self. I don't expect that to last, however. Nadal salutes the crowd on the way out of the tunnel. That means the warmups will soon get underway and we'll begin hopefully by 9.45am.
Nadal is keen to impress this year having been forced to withdraw from last year's tournament. It was, of course, a good decision for his career as he ended 2013 with 75 wins and just seven defeats. He won the US Open and although is only the second favourite has been in great form recently.
It's a windy evening, which favours Nadal you would have thought, but also very stuffy on court. In their head-to-head, Nadal has won nine and lost twice. I predict Nadal to go through comfortably in the end, but he might lose the opener if he doesn't come out as strongly as Monfils will.
We're almost ready to get underway. The players are back on their seats for a final few moments. Let's go!
Monfils to serve first... He goes for a big forehand winner straight away but puts it wide.
Then a backhand goes long for 0-30. In a rally Nadal initially looks on top, but he puts a backhand just long to give Monfils a route back, which he takes when Nadal nets. It's 30-30.
A big ace from Monfils right down the middle is followed up with a backhand right into the net. Then it's a forehand into the net... he's definitely going for it, if his shots aren't coming off. Break point.
BREAK! Well, I wondered if Nadal would be able to come out strongly and he has. It's a break at the very first time of asking, and largely due to some poor attempts at winners from Monfils. It can only improve for the Frenchman.
Initially better from Monfils who absolutely rattles a backhand. Nadal gets it back, then Monfils nets a forehand for 30-15.
Nadal ventures to the net for the first time and it ends in tears. His first volley goes back to Monfils, before he then plants one into the net. From 40-15 down it's deuce, as Monfils absolutely fires a backhand across court for the winner.
It's now advantage with a winner on the same side of the court, this time the ball fizzing off his forehand.
What a chance! Blown. Nadal is scrambling after Monfils finds the corner, but going for the big winner he puts the forehand long. Then Nadal nets another volley for break point number two.
It's scintillating tennis right now! Monfils and Nadal exchange blows on the baseline and it's Nadal's in the end that is too much with the backhand. Big point that.
This game is still going. Nadal has now saved three break points and has another advantage here...
Now he finally takes it. We're more than 15 minutes into this one and there have only been two games. You feel that was an important hold for the Spaniard - he really had to dig deep.
What. A. Shot! Monfils is scrambling, but then has Nadal on the ropes. The Spaniard somehow runs backwards and to his left to fire a forehand into the open court. Unbelievable athleticism.
Monfils can't get things working on his serve and Nadal has earned himself another break point...
BREAK! For how competitive this has been, Nadal is now cruising. He's 3-0 up with a serve to go and in truth both Monfils's service games have been comfortable for him.
Monfils takes the first point of the game, but then goes into the net and then long unforced.
How about that though! Monfils opens the shoulders and the return is back past Nadal quicker than his serve! Ridiculous.
It's to no avail, however, as the next serve is wide and spins even more so, with Monfils unable to get it back over the net. Monfils has to get on the board soon.
This is better. He forces Nadal to net to go 30-0 up, but then is outplayed in the next point with Nadal clipping the corner with a whipped forehand.
Another magnificent baseline rally and this time Monfils takes the point as Nadal nets a forehand. Game point for the Frenchman.
What a way to take it to deuce! Monfils's drop shot is not good, but Nadal still needed to get there and win the point from a backhan smash that Monfils nets.
There's a huge roar in Rod Laver as Monfils finally takes a game. He won it in the perfect fashion as well with a spinning ace down the middle. Now the small task of taking those two breaks back.
No break points look likely in this one, as Nadal races to 40-0 with a brilliant ace.
Sure enough, it's 5-1 to Nadal. That was his most comfortable service game so far and he's not far away from wrapping up the opener.
Monfils has given up here. For the first time he doesn't go after a shot and Nadal has three set points.
SET! Nadal takes the opening set. The 6-1 suggests it was easy, but really it was far more competitive than that suggests. Monfils has played well at times, but has had far too many errors.
There were some fantastic rallies in that opening set with some powerful winners from both men. Ultimately, though, Nadal's level did not drop one bit while Monfils was all over the place.
Strong start to his next service game from Nadal, who goes 30-0 up after Monfils goes long with a backhand.
Nice and easy for Nadal to get on the board in the second. His first serve has been very good so far and when he gets it in he usually gets the point. Monfils went for the big return again but put it out of play. It's crucial for him not to be broken here.
He starts with an ace down the middle. That will help.
Much more like it from Monfils! He wins to 15 after a really good point, opening up the court to place a forehand winner past Nadal.
Nadal is incredibly strong behind his serve, though. It's 40-0 after Monfils tries to force the issue with a big forehand but goes long. Rafa wins the game but is now limping at the change of ends. This would be an awful way for the contest to end, but hopefully he'll be alright.
He doesn't need the trainer and is back on ready to face the serve. He didn't slip, but landed awkwardly on his ankle, but appears to be moving ok.
Monfils battles back from 30-0 here. One shot in particular was great - he took down a forehand at the baseline at shoulder height to fire the winner.
What a rally that is! Nadal is finding the corners with his forehands, but is able to fight back and forces the error from a big backhand. That's game point, but Nadal battles to deuce with a good backhand.
What gutsy play at break point down from Monfils. A drop shot brings Rafa to the net and he's able to pass him with a forehand down the line. Then there's a big roar as an ace brings up advantage.
Wow, wow, wow! An absolutely stunning forehand from deep in the court into the opposite corner. Nadal wasn't even far away but can't get close to it. Big game that was for Monfils and he looks pumped up.
But just as he did in his last service game, Nadal kills the momentum with some excellent serves. Monfils goes for a big forehand but finds himself 40-0 down and about to serve again.
The pressure is relentless from Nadal. When he's on top of a point he'll rarely lose it and he takes his service game to love. Back to you, Gael.
A really good spinning second serve from Monfils sees Nadal return wide for 30-0. Monfils looking good at the moment in this one.
Nadal fought back to level, but Monfils pings a serve right down the middle, which forces the error on the return. It's followed up, however, with a double fault... deuce.
Exhibition point from Monfils. Nadal defends brilliantly to lob over Monfils, who then spins around with a forehand and manages to get back to the net in time to volley a winner.
A couple of errors, though, and it's suddenly break point Nadal...
BREAK! There it is. Three double faults in the game from Monfils are the difference as Nadal breaks at a vital moment. He needs to hold here to be in a commanding position.
Oh it's brilliant tennis. Both players are running left and right to stay in the point and it's Monfils whose legs give way first as he nets a forehand. Then it's quickly 30-0 and Nadal is playing incredibly right now.
Nadal holds with ease. I say with ease, it's more that there's only one player in the word right now who might, might, be able to keep up with the Spaniard the way he's playing right now. And that's not Monfils.
Monfils is an inch away from landing a big backhand, but instead of 30-30 it's 15-40 and two set points...
SET! Monfils looks a beaten man, and who can blame him really? Nadal right now would be beating anyone in front of him, he's just too good. Once he edged ahead in the set he was always taking it, and now needs just one more.
Something of a look-in here at the start of the third for Monfils. He's 15-30 up and on second serve.
Now break point... Can he finally take one?
No. Nadal saves it really well, forcing Monfils deep and coming to the net for the volley.
Nadal is serving very well on the important points. Monfils had a chance, but it was taken away from him by the Spaniard. The crowd are a bit flat - they know it's only a matter of time until Nadal wraps this up.
Monfils is on the verge of a comfortable service game win, but Nadal rifles a return forehand winner for 40-30.
The comes out on top of a blistering, hard-hitting rally. Nadal hits possibly the hardest backhand of the match so far, which Monfils can only net.
Excellent shot at break point down from Monfils. He goes to the forehand a couple of times before fizzing a backhand down the line.
We have to remember that Monfils is actually a very good player. He's just being made to look ordinary by a superhuman Nadal today. However, he just about gets the better in that game, with help from a 134mph second-serve ace! Amazing.
Once again Nadal extracts the sting from Monfils, just in case he was thinking about a break. He holds to love so the pressure remains on the Frenchman. He has to hold again and will want it to be more comfortable than last time.
Nadal, at 30-15 down, winds up that forearm to level the game. Then there's a strong serve from Monfils to move to game point, before setting it up brilliantly and finishing with a forehand down the line. Good play and a fairly comfortable service game too.
That's incredibly frustrating from Monfils! He sets up the opening point so well and only needs to finish with the volley, but nets it instead. Now it's 30-0 and a break looks unlikely.
Monfils is not out of this one yet. That's a thunderous backhand winner from him and the entertainment continues!
Too good from Nadal! It's as good a return down the line as you'll see from Monfils, but Fara is on to it to swipe a forehand right back past him for the point. You have to feel for the Frenchman here.
That's better from Monfils, as he stays in a rally and spins a winner right on to the line with his forehand.
So far, we're with serve and both men are playing well with the balls. There's the best and worst of Monfils in consecutive points, as he wrong-foots Nadal to set up a winner before planting the next backhand into the tramlines. However, he gets advantage at deuce and finishes the point with a wondrous backhand just over the net and across the court.
What a big point at 0-30. Nadal sets up a net point and gets there with plenty of time to finish the other side with a volley.
He battles back to 30-30, but then hits long. This is Monfils's fifth break point, can he take it this time?
What can you say? Nadal goes hard into the corner with the forehand and again on a vital point he comes to the net to finish it off well. He's so good under pressure.
That was a slog, but Rafa is still yet to drop a service game. It has been a case of so near, yet so far for Monfils who has let another couple of break points go by without conversion.
What a point! Somehow Monfils takes it. Everything he tried at the net was being read by Rafa until he clips the top of it with the ball going just over. However, on the very next point Nadal takes it to bring us to deuce.
BREAK! There it is. That, I think, is the end of that as Nadal manages the break at a huge time. He's too good and Monfils has not had an answer so far. Nadal will serve for the match.
GAME, SET AND MATCH NADAL!
What a performance this has been from Nadal. He wraps up the match with a service game to love to move into the last 16. Monfils was brave and tried to take the game to Nadal but there were too many errors and too much perfection from Nadal. The Spaniard was absolutely fantastic - the best any player has played so far in the tournament.
Just a couple of words from Rafa after the game, speaking to Eurosport:
"Gael is always a big test, he's a great player. But today I played my best match of the tournament so far, so I'm happy about that.
"It's very special to play so well again in front of this unbelievable crowd. I want to say many thanks to everyone who has made this moment possible."
That's all from me for this one. Thanks for joining us today and we will be back for the last 16 next week. Goodbye for now.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
