Nadal In Control; Isner Defeats Querrey

© Getty ImagesRafael Nadal dropped just five points behind his serve.

Defending champion Rafael Nadal had no problems in his third-round match, taking just 65 minutes to post a 6-2, 6-2 win over former Top 10 player Mario Ancic of Croatia on Monday at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

Nadal, who won the season’s first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament in 2007 and ’09, went largely unchallenged throughout the match. He set the tone with a break in the first game and lost just five points total on serve.

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“I am playing well; that's the thing,” said Nadal about his performance. “I am playing at the good level with my forehand when I touch the ball all the time. I try to do something – playing aggressive, playing long, changing the direction – so that's very important on my game. I am doing [that] well here.”

Ancic was playing in his first tour-level event this season, after sitting out the second-half of 2009 with a recurrence of mononucleosis, and had rallied from a set down in his first two matches to defeat American qualifier Bobby Reynolds and 31st-seeded Frenchman Julien Benneteau.

Nadal defeated German Rainer Schuettler in straight sets in his opening match, and was pleased with his form to start the 2010 season. He opened the year with a runner-up finish in Dubai, and reached the quarter-finals at the Australian Open before retiring with a right knee injury against Andy Murray.

“I am feeling confident,” said the World No. 3. “I need a bit length for a few months without a stop – that's winning matches, winning important matches – and after that everything is easier. But I am ready to do it.”

The Spaniard will next play American John Isner, who defeated fellow American and good friend Sam Querrey 7-6(3), 6-4 in the final match Monday. After prevailing in the first-set tie-break, Isner grabbed the only service break to start the second set, proving enough for the victory.

Isner and Querrey, who recently represented the U.S. in Davis Cup action, had faced off for the first time last month in the final of the ATP World Tour 500 tournament in Memphis – a match Querrey came back to win in three sets.

“I wanted to win this one pretty bad, and fortunately for me I went out there and played really well and served outstanding,” said the 6’9” Isner. “I was a little bit fortunate. Any time I play Sam it's probably going to be a coin flip either way. I'm just lucky to have won it tonight.”

Isner said about playing Nadal for the first time: “As my ranking and my playing continues to improve, hopefully I'll see him more in a tournament like this. I think I can give him a run for his money.”

Czech Tomas Berdych, the 19th seed, put together an impressive display against No. 10 seed Fernando Verdasco as he defeated the Spaniard 6-0, 6-3 in 59 minutes. Berdych goes on to meet No. 29 seed Viktor Troicki of Serbia, who earned a walkover Sunday when World No. 6 Nikolay Davydenko withdrew prior to the match with a broken wrist.