Rafael Nadal needed to go the distance for the second successive day in Barcelona before beating Japan’s Kei Nishikori to make the last-eight and stay on course for a 12th title at the tournament.
The world number three triumphed 6-0, 2-6, 6-2 over 2014 and 2015 champion Nishikori and next faces Britain’s Cameron Norrie, a fellow left-hander, for a place in the semifinals.
Nadal, who suffered a surprise quarter-final exit at the Monte Carlo Masters last week, had also required three sets to beat Belarusian qualifier Ilya Ivashka, ranked at 111, in his Barcelona opener on Wednesday.
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