LONDON: Rafael Nadal defeated Kazakhstan's Mikhail Kukushkin by recovering first set damage and made spot the Wimbledon last 16.
The 2008 and 2010 champion lost the opening set again for the third time in three matches before changing game to his side in a 6-7 (4/7), 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 victory.
The second seeded Spaniard blitzed world number 63 Kukushkin, who had never won a match at Wimbledon before this year and had only ever beaten one top 10 player in his career.
The 28-year old Nadal who has won 14 grand slam titles, won 17 of the last 19 games and goes on to face either Australia´s rising star Nick Kyrgios or Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic for Quarter final combat.
Nadal had given the first set to Martin Klizan and Lukas Rosol in his first two rounds and Kukushkin, playing in his 21st tournament of the year.
From 1-1 in the second set to 3-0 in the fourth set, Nadal took 14 of 15 games and only faced his first break points of the tie at 2-0 in the fourth.
Kukushkin, best example to be given of a player coached by his own wife, ended the crumble by getting on the board at 1-3.But it was a abrupt recess as Nadal swept to victory with 41 winners and just 12 unforced errors.
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