Wimbledon-Nadal eases into last eight

LONDON, July 3 (Reuters) Second seed Rafael Nadal moved ominously into the quarter-finals of Wimbledon with a 6-3 7-6 6-3 victory over qualifier Irakli Labadze today.

The 20-year-old Spaniard struggled for rhythm against the unpredictable Georgian who entertained the court one crowd with a mixture of spectacular tennis and pantomime antics.

Nadal was never seriously troubled, although Labadze, the world number 166, did become a nuisance during a protracted second set before the world number two won a tiebreak 7-4.

French Open champion Nadal raced away in the third set to secure a clash with Finnish 22nd seed Jarkko Nieminen.

Reuters DH VP0120