BARCELONA: While Novak Djokovic struggles, Rafael Nadal keeps impressing.

Former world number one Djokovic suffered a surprise second-round exit at the Barcelona Open when the Serb was beaten 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 by world number 140 Martin Klizan on Wednesday.

But favourite and 10-time champion Nadal eased past fellow Spaniard Roberto Carballes-Baena 6-4, 6-4 in his first appearance at this year’s tournament to reach the third round and set a record by winning 38 consecutive sets on clay.

Second seed Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria also moved smoothly past Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-2, 6-1 to reach the last 16, while third-seeded Dominic Thiem beat qualifier Jaume Munar 7-6 (10-8), 6-1.

Djokovic is trying to return to form after a lingering right elbow injury. He hasn’t made it past the last 16 in five tournaments this year.

While Klizan goes through to meet Spain’s Feliciano Lopez in the last 16, Djokovic will now have to reset, with the French Open next month fast approaching.

“You can work very hard on the practice courts but when you get into matches it’s completely different,” Djokovic told reporters afterwards. “I haven’t had too many matches in the last 12 months so it’s a lack of match-play and a lack of these kinds of situations.”

Nadal looked comfortable against Carballes Baena, he was not impressed with his own performance despite the victory seeing him surpass Romanian Ilie Nastase’s record of winning 36 consecutive sets on clay in 1973.

“I did not play well at all,” Nadal said. “But it was important to win and tomorrow there is another opportunity to improve the level.”

The 31-year-old will now face another Spaniard in Guillermo Garcia Lopez, who progressed after Kei Nishikori retired.

Nishikori had lost to Nadal in the Monte Carlo Masters final on Sunday and he pulled out after conceding the first set to Garcia-Lopez 6-3.

Fatigue, and pain in his troublesome right wrist, appeared to prompt the withdrawal from Japans world number 22, who told reporters after the match: “I started feeling discomfort again during the first set and I did not want to take any risks.”

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2018