Rafael Nadal beats Australian Open conqueror at Indian Wells

Rafael Nadal has defeated fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-0 7-6(9) in the third round at Indian Wells in California.

This was the first meeting between the pair since Verdasco caused a shock in the first round at January's Australian Open by overcoming 14-time Grand Slam champion Nadal in five sets.

However, on this occasion it was Nadal, who won the first set without dropping a game, that came through triumphant.

The second set went to a tie-breaker and it seemed that Verdasco was going to force the contest into a deciding third set when he opened up a 6-3 advantage.

Twenty-nine-year-old Nadal rallied, though, to secure his spot in the next round.

Nadal will now take on 18-year-old German Alexander Zverev for a place in the quarter-finals of a competition that he has won three times.