Rafael Nadal vs. Fernando Verdasco: Score, Reaction from 2016 Indian Wells

Rafael Nadal is moving on to the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open after beating fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in straight sets, 6-0, 7-6(9), Tuesday in Indian Wells, California.

The No. 4 seed received a difficult challenge from Gilles Muller in his first match of the tournament, finally putting away the 32-year-old in three sets.

"The last three matches that I lost have been in three sets or five sets," Nadal said after the win, per ESPN.com's Peter Bodo. "So I needed a victory like this. Very happy for that."

Potentially weighing on Nadal's mind during the match were allegations of doping made against him by Roselyne Bachelot, a former French minister of health and sports. The 14-time Grand Slam champion responded that he intends to sue Bachelot over the claims, per CNN.com.

He seemed to take out all of his aggression and anger on Verdasco early on. This match was a complete 180 from their meeting in the first round of the Australian Open, which Verdasco won in five sets.

Nadal needed just 27 minutes to secure the first set. Tennis broadcaster Craig Gabriel wondered how much that defeat in Melbourne, Australia, was weighing on his mind:   

Nadal did an excellent job of moving Verdasco around the court, particularly with his forehand. According to Tennis Panorama News, Verdasco had one more unforced error (14) than he had points won (13) in the opening frame. He didn't help himself by serving 45 percent on his first serve and committing five double-faults either.

However, one of Nadal's issues lately has been failing to carry the momentum of a fast start into subsequent sets. As ESPN's Howard Bryant noted, the problem reared its head again Tuesday:

Neither player gave an inch in the second set. Verdasco's first-serve percentage climbed to 63 percent, which helped him match Nadal shot for shot. Nadal had a chance to close out the match in the 12th game, but Verdasco fought back and forced a tiebreak.

He arguably should've succeeded in getting the match to a third set but failed to capitalize on five set points. With the score at 9-9 in the tiebreaker, Verdasco double-faulted and opened the door for Nadal, who didn't hesitate to grab the opportunity.

While some might look at the way the second set played out as a problem for the eventual winner, Sports Illustrated's Jon Wertheim took the opposite approach:

Nadal will face off with Alexander Zverev in the next round. The two have never faced off on the ATP World Tour before. Zverev is coming off back-to-back wins over seeded players, knocking No. 23 Grigor Dimitrov out in the second round and No. 16 Gilles Simon in the third.

Since Nadal will be the heavy favorite, the question will be whether he starts strong out of the gate and avoids a lull later in the match. The last two rounds are evidence he can't afford to take Zverev lightly. If Nadal has the 18-year-old German on the ropes, he needs to expediently finish the job.

Post-Match Reaction

"I lost matches similar to this one in Australia, in Buenos Aires, in Rio de Janeiro," Nadal said after the match, per the tournament's official website. "It's important winning matches like this for me. Like the other day in the third (against Gilles Muller), today in the second."

He couldn't avoid questions about the doping allegations but brushed them aside, telling reporters, "I don't want to talk anymore about that. It's over for me. Now my lawyers gonna talk," per Ricky Dimon of The Grandstand.

Nadal is already looking ahead to the next round and heaped a wealth of praise upon his upcoming opponent.

"He's a clear possible future No. 1," he said of Zverev, per the tournament's official website. "He's an amazing player. He has all the shots. It's going to be a very tough match tomorrow for me, and I have to be ready to fight, to suffer, and to try to play aggressive. That's what I'm going to try."