Paris: Holder Rafael Nadal reached the last 16 of the French Open with a 6-1 6-3 6-2 demolition of fellow Spaniard Albert Montanes on Saturday.
The world number two, who turns 21 on Sunday, has not dropped a set so far but could be challenged in the next round when he meets former world number one Lleyton Hewitt of Australia.
"It was the best match for me so far in the tournament," said Nadal, more at ease now that the courts are faster with no more rain in the French capital.
"I didn't play my best tennis but I played better than in the first two rounds.
"I like having my birthday here but I wasn't thinking about it today," he added. "I'm just happy to be there for the second week and I know the next match will be tough."
Second seed Nadal, bidding to become the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to collect three successive titles on the Paris clay, wore down world number 50 Montanes with relentless groundstrokes.
Nadal, whose 81-match winning streak on his favourite surface was ended by world number one Roger Federer in the Hamburg final last month, needed two hours and 21 minutes to brush aside his brave but limited compatriot.
The powerful Nadal broke his 26-year old compatriot in the fourth game of the first set and again in the ninth, which went on for ever and which he eventually took with a superb acrobatic volley with his back to the net.
Nadal then served for the set, which he took courtesy of an unforced error from Montanes after 58 minutes.
Fighting for every point, the feisty Mallorcan took control in the second set with a break in the fourth game and stayed on top to take it in just 39 minutes.
Montanes tried his best to resist but soon found himself 3-0 down in the third set. He was trailing 5-2 on his serve when he saved a match point but Nadal earned another, on which Montanes netted a forehand.
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