Smooth progress for Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev at Monte-Carlo Masters

The Rafael Nadal show is up and running at the 2019 Monte-Carlo Masters with the defending champion steamrolling Roberto Bautista Agut in the second round.

The 11th seed, who had a bye in the opening round, dropped only one game in each set as he brushed aside his fellow Spaniard 6-1, 6-1 in one hour and 16 minutes.

There’s just no way through ⛔@RafaelNadal is home.#RolexMCMasters pic.twitter.com/HiV6rXjVrc

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 17, 2019

The world No 2, who has only lost four of his 73 matches in the Principality, will face Grigor Dimitrov in the third round after the Bulgarian beat Jan-Lennard Struff 7-6 (7-2), 6-4.

Third seed Alexander Zverev didn’t quite have it as easy as Nadal, but he still had a relatively straightforward day at the office as he beat NextGen star Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1, 6-4 in one hour and 19 minutes.

Canadian Auger-Aliassime struggled on his serve as he was broken three times in each set, but he did break the Zverev serve twice in the second set.

The German will take on Fabio Fognini for a place in the quarter-final after the Italian advanced when Gilles Simon withdrew.

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