Rafael Nadal continues his quest for 21st Grand Slam title as he reaches the quarterfinals of 2022 Australian Open

Rafael Nadal entered the quarterfinals of the 2022 Australian Open by defeating Adrian Mannarino in straight sets in the fourth round. This is the sixth consecutive year the Spaniard has made it this far in Melbourne as well as his 45th Grand Slam quarterfinal.

The win also marked the 14th time he has reached the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, second only to Roger Federer's 15.

Rafael Nadal vs Adrian Mannarino score

The 20-time Major champion defeated Adrian Mannarino 7-6(14), 6-2, 6-2. He continues his quest for a record 21st Major as well as a second Australian Open crown.

Rafael Nadal vs Adrian Mannarino winner

With his win over Mannarino, Nadal reached the quarterfinals where he will face 14th seed Denis Shapovalov. The Canadian scored a comprehensive 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3 win over World No. 3 Alexander Zverev in their fourth-round clash.

Rafael Nadal vs Adrian Mannarino recap

The Spaniard attempts a backhand in his match against Mannarino

The first set was evenly matched, with both players holding serve to force a tie-break. Nadal did face a solitary break point while serving at 5-5, but managed to fend it off.

The tie-break was a thrilling affair and featured plenty of momentum shifts as both players had multiple set points. Nadal eventually came out on top, winning the tie-break 16-14.

Mannarino looked mentally and physically drained after that and his level fell significantly. Nadal, on the other hand, started to play even better, his confidence boosted by edging the opening set. The Spaniard won the second set quite easily, breaking his opponent's serve twice to clinch it 6-2.

Mannarino put up some resistance in the third set, saving four break points in his opening service game, but Nadal was relentless and secured the break on his fifth attempt. However, the Frenchman immediately wrestled back the break to level the score at 1-1.

The next service game was another battle, as Mannarino saved five break points before being broken again to trail 1-2. That sealed the deal in favor of Nadal as he won the next three games to race into a 5-1 lead. The Frenchman finally had a comfortable service hold for 5-2, but it was too little too late.

Nadal closed out the match emphatically, sealing victory with an ace. The Spaniard is now just three wins away from a record-breaking 21st Major and on current form, he is certainly one of the favorites to win it.