Intro:

Top seed Rafael Nadal and defending champion Victoria Azarenka both came through their third round ties without losing a set in the Australian Open.

Script:

Round three of the Australian Open, and it was the ever flamboyant Gael Monfils who stood in the way of top seed Rafael Nadal.

The 13-time grand slam winner stormed through the opening set, but was made to work much harder by the 25th seed in the second set.

Nadal came through it 6-2, but there was no sign of throwing in the towel from Monfils in the third.

But ultimately it was the world number one and 2009 champion who had the final say.

He plays Kei Nishikori for a place in the quarter-finals.

In the women's draw, defending champion Victoria Azarenka also came through her third round encounter without losing a set.

She lost just one game against Austria's Yvonne Meusberger, and plays Sloane Stevens next.