Rafael Nadal vs. Andreas Seppi: Score and Reaction from 2016 Olympics

Rafael Nadal continues to look comfortable on the Olympic stage, as he knocked off Andreas Seppi 6-3, 6-3 on Tuesday to advance to the third round in Rio de Janeiro.

The 2016 Summer Olympics mark Nadal's first tournament action since he was forced to withdraw from the French Open due to a wrist injury. He breezed by Federico Delbonis in the first round and fared well against Seppi. 

Even though Nadal entered the Olympics ranked fifth in the ATP standings, top stars have not had an easy time in Rio so far. Novak Djokovic lost his first singles match, and Venus and Serena Williams lost their first doubles match after winning gold at the previous two Olympics. 

Per Chris Goldsmith, Spanish tennis players have had difficulties at the 2016 Olympics:

Nadal is no stranger to Olympic success, previously winning a gold medal in 2008, but a lot has changed for him over the last eight years. Being 30 years old in tennis does not traditionally lend itself to great success. He's battled various injuries over the last two years that have hurt his skills. 

Despite the win, Nadal did have a few moments where he looked sloppy. He had two unforced errors while holding a 5-3 advantage in the second set that led to Seppi taking a 40-30 edge in the game and did it once again after taking the advantage. 

The good news is none of those moments snowballed on Nadal to open the door for Seppi to make a comeback. 

Jon Wertheim of Sports Illustrated was particularly enamored with the way Nadal has played through two rounds at the Olympics:

Nadal is a man on a mission in these Olympics. In addition to proving he has a lot of gas left in his tank, he was unable to defend his gold medal four years ago in London because of a knee injury, opening the door for Andy Murray to capture the prize.

If there were any concerns about Nadal's legs being unable to handle the Olympic grind after missing more than two months, Luigi Gatto of Tennis World Italia did note it's not showing through his heavy workload so far:

The key for Nadal moving forward will be his stamina. He's looked terrific, aside from a couple of hiccups that most players will have in a match, and one of his biggest obstacles has already been eliminated—Djokovic—so there is a path to victory for him. 

Things will only get more difficult for Nadal, with Gilles Simon waiting in the third round. Nadal has won seven of their eight head-to-head matchups, though they haven't played since the Indian Wells Masters in March 2015. 

Nadal has been able to work out any early rust he might have had, allowing him to be in prime shape for a long run in Rio as he looks to secure his second career gold medal. 

Post-Match Reaction

Nadal has taken on a difficult schedule considering this is his first tournament back from injury. He's playing singles, doubles and mixed doubles for Spain but explained on the NBC telecast after his win over Seppi the reason why, via Tennis Now:

It would not be a surprise if this were Nadal's last run through the Olympics. He's 30 years old and, as mentioned before, has battled various physical ailments in recent years that don't figure to help him age gracefully in the sport.