Rafael Nadal pleased with improvements in win over Kevin Anderson

Rafael Nadal has declared himself pleased following an improved performance that saw him past Kevin Anderson at the Australian Open.

The Spaniard breezed into the quarter-finals of the Melbourne Grand Slam with a comfortable straight-sets win over the South African.

Nadal is now excited about his last-eight matchup against Tomas Berdych.

"[Berdych] is playing great. Will be a very tough opponent, no?" he told reporters after his victory.

"But for me, quarter-finals is a great result, talking seriously. Arriving here, losing in the first round of Qatar, not playing matches for the last seven months, to have the chance to be in quarter-finals again here is a very positive thing for me.

"I try to play better and better every day. If that happens, I hope to keep having chances for the next match. But today is a day to be happy the way that I improved my level of everything... all the things I have to do on court."

Nadal saved six set points in the first set of his last-16 win.