Nadal overcomes spirited Mannarino in Paris Masters

Paris - Rafael Nadal moved into the last 16 of the Paris Masters on Wednesday with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over French wildcard Adrian Mannarino.

The 33-year-old was not at his imperious best against world number 43 Mannarino, but did enough to win with relative comfort.

The 19-time Grand Slam champion, who has never won the tournament but does hold a record 35 Masters titles, will hope to improve in the third round against Stan Wawrinka after the Swiss beat Marin Cilic 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/5).

Nadal, playing his first event since getting married earlier this month, can secure the year-end top ranking ahead of Novak Djokovic for a fifth time by winning the trophy on Sunday.

Results from the third day of the ATP Paris Masters on Wednesday (x denotes seeding):

Second round

Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt Corentin Moutet (FRA) 7-6 (7/2), 6-4

Kyle Edmund (GBR) bt Diego Schwartzman (ARG x14) 7-5, 6-3

Alex de Minaur (AUS) bt Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP x9) 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/1)

Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x7) bt Taylor Fritz (USA) 7-6 (7/3), 6-3

Cristian Garin (CHI) bt John Isner (USA x15) 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4)

Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) bt David Goffin (BEL x12) 7-5, 6-3

Dominic Thiem (AUT x5) bt Milos Raonic (CAN) 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 6-4

Denis Shapovalov (CAN) bt Fabio Fognini (ITA x11) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3

Gael Monfils (FRA x13) bt Benoit Paire (FRA) 6-4, 7-6 (7/4)

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) bt Matteo Berrettini (ITA x10) 6-4, 6-3

Stan Wawrinka (SUI x16) bt Marin Cilic (CRO) 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/5)

Rafael Nadal (ESP x2) bt Adrian Mannarino (FRA) 7-5, 6-4