Nadal crushes Chardy to reach Rome third round

Defending champion Rafael Nadal lost just one game as he crushed France's Jeremy Chardy in straight sets to advance to the third round of the Italian Open on Thursday.

The eight-time Rome champion won 6-0, 6-1 and next meets Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili, the 14th seed, later in the day for a place in the quarter-finals after rain delays wiped out play on Wednesday in the joint ATP and WTA tournament.

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