World No. 1 Rafael Nadal defeated Santiago Giraldo 6-3, 6-1 to reach the quarter-finals of the ATP World Tour 500 clay-court tennis tournament.

Rafa Nadal is bidding to regain the title he won at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona 1899 between 2005 and 2009 and improved to a 27-1 lifetime mark at the event.

Nadal has clinched his 25th victory today, while he has only lost on four occasions in 2011. He was defeated by Nikolay Davydenko in Doha, David Ferrer in Australia on Novak Djokovic in Indian Wells and Miami.

Rafa's next opponent is #9 France's Gael Monfils, their Head 2 Head record is 7-1 for Rafa, last time they played was last year 2010 in Tokyo in the finals an event which Rafa won. Monfils has never even taken a set off of Rafa during any clay match they have played.


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