Intro:

Federico Delbonis reaches the quarter finals of the Rio Open with a straight sets win over Martin Klizan. A slimmed down Rafa Nadal and Italy's Fabio Fognini also advanced.

Script:

The second round of the Rio Open got underway on Thursday with Argentine Federico Delbonis facing Martin Klizan for a place in the final eight.

Despite being seeded eight here, Klizan of Slovakia was totally outplayed from the start.

Delbonis cruised through to the quarter-finals with a 6-2 6-1 win.

Rafael Nadal also reached the quarter-finals, in what it his first clay-court tournament of the season.

The world number 3 was up against fellow Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta, the current number 55.

This was the stand out point of the match, a rally of 18 shots, that ended with a superb drop shot winner from Nadal.

The 28-year-old went on to take the match in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3, and afterwards the new, slimmer Nadal said he was happy with his performance.

SOUNDBITE (English) Rafa Nadal, World number 3

"I think he played well. He played aggressive. Happy the way that I played. Conditions are tough. Very humid. Hot. Sweating a lot. But that's what it is here. So I am just trying to play my best in every single point. A little bit up and down but in general finding the way to be though into the quarter final. So happy for that and I hope, Pablo is a good friend, hope he will have a good season."

Fabio Fognini of Italy also advanced, beating Pablo Andujar of Spain 6-3, 6-2.