Tennis: Rafael Nadal beats David Ferrer 6-3 6-3 in the third round of Barcelona Open

The 11-time champion Rafael Nadal beat David Ferrer - himself a four-time former finalist - 6-3 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals of the Barcelona Open on Thursday. Nadal, the top seed, snatched a break of serve in the sixth game of the opening set and pushed on to take it 6-3. He carried that momentum into the second set where he broke his opponent twice in quick succession. 37-year-old Ferrer showed flashes of resilience in this, his 32nd meeting with the world number two, but Nadal always seemed in control and closed out a valuable win to reach the quarterf-finals here for a 13th time.