Rafa Nadal put on a clinical performance to ease past German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann 6-2 6-3 6-4 and reach the third round of the Australian Open, keeping the Spaniard on course for a men's record 21st grand slam title.
The only former champion left in the men's draw at Melbourne Park, Nadal is tied on 20 majors with Roger Federer and world number one Novak Djokovic, who are both absent from the tournament.
The 2009 champion's only previous meeting with the 126th-ranked Hanfmann came on the Roland Garros clay in 2019 when Nadal lost just six games en route to a straight-sets victory.
The 30-year-old German did slightly better on a windy day at the Rod Laver Arena but not enough to trouble Nadal, who hit 30 winners and broke his opponent's serve four times while saving both break points he faced.
Hanfmann started well by advancing to the net regularly and also drawing Nadal forward with drop shots but the Spaniard improved as the match progressed.
The sixth seed needed five match points before sealing victory when Hanfmann sent a forehand long and he will next meet Russian Karen Khachanov who saw off Benjamin Bonzi of France 6-4 6-0 7-5.
Nadal is unbeaten so far this season having cut short his 2021 campaign in August because of a foot problem.
"I think I am doing things well," said Nadal. "Things that I can improve I have to improve. I want to keep going in the tournament. But winning today allows me to practise again tomorrow, to be ready for another match.
After two matches it's the moment to make a step forward.
"I'm excited about it. I'm excited about the fact that I'm going to be playing in a third round for one more time here after all the things I am going through.
"I don't have big pressure on my shoulders, honestly. I don't feel it. The pressure is only to stay healthy and to enjoy the fact that I am competing again, then give my best as I did during all my tennis career."
Third seed Alexander Zverev defeated local favourite John Millman 6-4 6-4 6-0 in under two hours and will next face qualifier Radu Albot
Seventh seed Matteo Berrettini overcame a minor hiccup in the second set to move into the third round with a 6-1 4-6 6-4 6-1 win over American Stefan Kozlov.
The Italian will next face 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz, who became the youngest man to reach the third round at Melbourne Park since Bernard Tomic in 2011 after a 6-2 6-1 7-5 thrashing of Dusan Lajovic.
Denis Shapovalov came back from the brink to oust Kwon Soon-woo 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (7-3) 6-7 (8-6) 7-5 6-2 in an absorbing four-and-a-half hour contest on the Margaret Court Arena.
The Canadian world number 14 faces 23rd seed Reilly Opelka next, after the American dispatched Dominik Koepfer 6-4 6-3 7-6 (7-4).
The biggest casualty of the day was 10th seed Hubert Hurkacz, with the Wimbledon semi-finalist beaten 6-4 6-2 6-3 by French veteran Adrian Mannarino.
The match of the day saw young American Sebastian Korda, son of former champion Petr, claim a deciding fifth-set tie-break against France's Corentin Moutet as he prevailed 3-6 6-4 6-7 (7-2) 7-5 7-6 (8-6) after four hours and 47 minutes.
He next meets 19th seed Pablo Carreno Busta, who ended the 29-match winning run of Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 6-3 6-7 (6-8) 7-6 (7-3) 3-6 6-4.
