Second seed Rafael Nadal remained on course for his 13th title at the French Open, blitzing Mackenzie McDonald 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 in their second round encounter. The Spaniard committed only 15 unforced errors broke serve seven times and never faced a break point himself.
Ruthless Nadal blitzes McDonald in another clinical display
McDonald comfortably held to open the match, but that was as good as it would get for him as Nadal was soon on the attack, breaking the American in the fourth game to go ahead 3-1. A steaming forehand winner consolidated the break and a crosscourt winner gave him a 5-1 edge.
Serving for the set, Nadal closed it out to love and another blazing forehand winner gave the Spaniard a break to open the second set. He made it eight games on the spin after McDonald hit a couple of loose shots to go ahead by a double break at 3-0.
Taken to deuce, Nadal pulled through the game and two games later, he fired a forehand winner after drawing the American in with a drop shot, going ahead two sets to none. MacDonald claimed the opening game of the third set to stop the run at 11 games in a row.
However, he was broken next time he served as the second seed claimed a 2-1 advantage. Serving to stay in the match at 5-3, McDonald was faced with double match point and could only watch as Nadal fired a crushing backhand winner into the open court to close out another dominant performance in Paris.