Rafael Nadal has beaten Stefan Kozlov 6-0, 6-3 in the Mexican Open quarter-final to achieve a career-best start to his calendar year.
The 21-time Major winner remains on course towards a fourth Acapulco crown following a comfortable victory over Stefan Kozlov in the second round of the tournament.
Kozlov was previously the hitting partner of Rafael Nadal in the Mexican Open when he found out that he made the main draw as a lucky loser and went on to beat Grigor Dimitrov in the opening round.
Stefan could not offer much against the Spanish legend in the first set, dropping it without winning a single game. A more valiant effort in set number two restored some honor for the American.
Continuing where he left in the opening match, Nadal produced a backhand winner in the opening game to get his name on the scoreboard before grabbing a break in game two after an extended rally and then opened a 3-0 gap with an ace.
Spreading a tiring rival over a baseline, Rafa produced a smash winner at the net in the fourth game for another break before closing the fifth game with another smash winner and repeated that at 5-0 to earn a bagel after 32 minutes.
Nadal broke Kozlov in the second set to go 3-1 ahead before a forehand winner moved him closer to the finish line in under an hour. Kozlov managed to break Nadal’s serve but Rafa grabbed another break in game eight before serving out the match at 5-3 to seal his spot in the next round.
This one goes to 12 💪
For the first time in his career, @RafaelNadal starts a season with 12 consecutive wins, defeating Stefan Kozlov 6-0 6-3 at #AMT2022 pic.twitter.com/wFxQ5iP1WG
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 24, 2022
Nadal is now 22-2 in Acapulco, with his only losses coming against Sam Querrey and Nick Kyrgios in 2017 and 2019.
