Top seed Rafael Nadal outgunned compatriot Alberto Martin 6-2, 6-4 on Thursday to set up an all-Spanish quarter-final with Juan Carlos Ferrero at the claycourt Swedish Open.
The French Open champion, playing in his trademark sleeveless shirt, dominated the first set but had to work hard in the second where he fought off several break points at 4-3 and at 5-4 when serving for the match.
"In the first set I played really well but I lost a little bit of my concentration in the second," said Nadal who is chasing his seventh title this season.
"That happens sometimes, I start really well and then my level goes down a little. I'm happy because I'm through to the quarter-finals without dropping a set."
Nadal expects tougher opposition from Ferrero, the 2003 French Open champion, who beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, another Spaniard, 6-3, 6-4.
"He's one of the best in the world on clay so I hope to play my best tomorrow. I will have to be aggressive," said Nadal.
Nadal has beaten Ferrero twice this year, in Valencia and in the Barcelona final where he beat him in straight sets.
"Tomorrow for me against Nadal it's going to be a lot of rallies," said Ferrero who last year finished out of the top 30 for the first time in five years.
"In Barcelona I played good, but he (Nadal) was amazing, he didn't miss a ball during the entire match."
