British number two Aljaz Bedene saw his run at the Monte Carlo Masters ended by eight-time champion Rafael Nadal this afternoon.
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Nadal, who won the tournament eight years in a row between 2005 and 2012 but has not triumphed since, was first to break in the fourth game and consolidated the advantage to go 4-1 up.
The Spaniard then broke again to reel off four games in a row, but Bedene briefly hit back before Nadal came through 6-3 to take the opener.
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Bedene, the world number 60, then lost his serve right at the start of the second set as Nadal took control again.
The Brit had a chance to level the set in the fourth game, but Nadal saved the break point and went on to take the set 6-3 again.
Up next for Nadal in the last 16 is a match against 12th seed Dominic Thiem.
Elsewhere at the tournament earlier today, Stanislas Wawrinka, whom Nadal is likely to face in the quarters if he gets there, edged out Philipp Kohlschreiber, but there was a shock for sixth seed Tomas Berdych as he lost in three sets to world number 99 Damir Dzumhur.
