Rafael Nadal wins in Acapulco, extends career-best season start to 12 matches

Story by Reuters

Updated 0948 GMT (1748 HKT) February 24, 2022

Rafa Nadal plays a forehand during a match against Stefan Kozlov of United States at the Telcel ATP Mexican Open.

(CNN)Rafa Nadal extended his winning run in 2022 to 12 matches in his best start to a season in his career, dismissing American Stefan Kozlov 6-0 6-3 in Acapulco on Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals of the ATP 500 tournament.

The 21-time grand slam champion, a three-time winner in the coastal resort town, arrived in Mexico having won an Australian Open tuneup event and the hardcourt major in Melbourne last month after missing a chunk of 2021 with a foot problem.Kozlov was the Spaniard's practice partner on Monday when he was called in as a last-minute replacement for injured Frenchman Maxime Cressy in the main draw.Alexander Zverev is withdrawn from Mexican Open after striking umpire's chair multiple timesBarring a brief period in the second set when he converted his only breakpoint chance in the contest, Kozlov was no match for Nadal whose previous best start of 11-0 in 2014 ended with a defeat to Swiss Stan Wawrinka in the Australian Open final.Next up for the 35-year-old will be another American in 39th-ranked Tommy Paul with a potential semifinal clash against top-seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev, who he defeated in the Australian Open final from a two-set deficit.Read More«It's always important to win as quick as possible, but the most important thing is to win,» Nadal said after his victory in an hour and 16 minutes in hot and humid conditions.«Tonight has been straight sets, that's great news, and I'll try to be ready for tomorrow again against a tough opponent.»Medvedev earlier crushed Pablo Andújar 6-1 6-2 and put himself three wins away