Nadal crushes Chardy to reach Rome Round 3

Rome - Defending champion Rafael Nadal lost just one game as he crushed France's Jeremy Chardy in straight sets to advance to the third round of the Italian Open on Thursday.

The eight-time Rome champion won 6-0, 6-1 and next meets Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili, the 14th seed, later in the day for a place in the quarter-finals after rain delays wiped out play on Wednesday in the joint ATP and WTA tournament.

Latest results from the ATP and WTA Italian Open tournaments in Rome on Thursday (x denotes seeding):

Women

Second round

Naomi Osaka (JPN x1) bt Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 6-3, 6-3

Mihaela Buzarnescu (ROM) bt Julia Goerges (GER x16) 6-4, 3-6, 4-4 retired

Carla Suarez (ESP) bt Alize Cornet (FRA) 6-3, 3-0 abandon

Kiki Bertens (NED x6) bt Amanda Anisimova (USA) 6-2, 4-6, 7-5

Johanna Konta (GBR) bt Sloane Stephens (USA x7) 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 6-1

Garbine Muguruza (ESP) bt Danielle Collins (USA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-2

Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) bt Belinda Bencic (SUI) 6-2, 2-6, 6-1

Men

Second round

Diego Schwartzman (ARG) bt Albert Ramos (ESP) 7-6 (7/5), 6-1

Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) bt Marin Cilic (CRO x9) 6-2, 6-3

Kei Nishikori (JPN x6) bt Taylor Fritz (USA) 6-2, 6-4

Roger Federer (SUI x3) bt Joao Sousa (POR) 6-4, 6-3

Fernando Verdasco (ESP) bt Dominic Thiem (AUT x5) 4-6, 6-4, 7-5

Rafael Nadal (ESP x2) bt Jeremy Chardy (FRA) 6-0, 6-1