• Rome Masters

Nadal too strong for Kohlschreiber

Rafael Nadal will meet Victor Hanescu in the third round © Getty Images

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Rafael Nadal got the defence of his Rome Masters title off to an impressive start with victory over Philipp Kohlschreiber.

The world No. 3, who pulled out of last week's Barcelona Open after winning his sixth straight title at the Monte Carlo Masters, showed no signs of fatigue or injury as he held off a spirited fight from the German to move into round three with a 6-1 6-3 victory.

It was business as usual for the four-time champion, who cruised to a 6-1 victory in the opening set, before surviving a mid-set wobble in the second to wrap up victory.

After breaking the German's first service game in the second set, it looked as if Nadal was on course for a comfortable victory. But Kohlschreiber, who claimed the scalp of Andy Murray in Monte Carlo two weeks ago, broke straight back, winning three games on the trot to take a 3-2 lead.

The world No. 29 appeared to have overcome his nerves in the second set, playing more aggressive tennis, coming to the net and hitting cross-court winners his opponent would have been proud of.

But in the end, Nadal, on course for his fifth title at the Foro Italico, was too strong as he booked a third-round meeting with Romania's Victor Hanescu.

No. 5 seed Robin Soderling bounced back from the disappointment of defeat in the Barcelona Open final to beat Italian wildcard Paolo Lorenzi 6-1 7-5.

Last year's French Open finalist broke the Italian three times as he cruised to victory to put Sunday's defeat to Fernando Verdasco behind him.

"Of course I was disappointed [not to beat Verdasco], the final is the match you really want to win," he told Sky Sports. "But to get to the final of my first clay-court event of the year feels pretty good for the rest of the clay season."

Fernando Verdasco is on course to face Novak Djokovic © Getty Images

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David Ferrer set up a clash with Andy Murray in the third round after claiming a 7-5 6-2 win over Potito Starace.

Starace was roared on by a partisan Roman crowd and proved a match for his Spanish opponent in the first set. The pair traded blows from the back of the court and it was not until the 11th game that Ferrer secured the break and went on to hold serve to close out the set.

Ferrer found things easier in the second set and two breaks of serve were enough to close out the match and at times he showed the sort of form that will clearly test Murray.

No. 6 seed Verdasco remains on course for a clash against Novak Djokovic in the last eight after he defeated Simone Bolelli 7-6 6-3. Bolelli had his chances - he threw away six set points in the first set - but he faded in the second as Verdasco showed glimpses of the form that has seen him reach the final of his last two events.

Santiago Giraldo's giantkilling run continued as he reached the third round of a Masters 1000 event for the first time with a 6-3 6-2 victory over Michael Llodra. Giraldo, who knocked out former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero on Monday, will now meet either Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who booked his place in the third round with a comfortable 6-2 6-3 win over Viktor Troicki.

Feliciano Lopez produced a superb fightback to topple Marin Cilic in the final game to finish on Wednesday evening. The Croatian looked in cruise control when a set up, but Lopez fought back to take the second in a tie-break and an early break in the third was enough to secure a 2-6 7-6(2) 6-4 win.

Julien Benneteau suffered a shock defeat to Italian wildcard Filippo Volandri, while Guillermo Garcia-Lopez got the better of Lleyton Hewitt.

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