- Spaniard triumphs 6-1, 7-6 (3) over Australian in Bercy
- Nadal aiming to win first Paris Masters title at eighth attempt
Not many people in tennis know Rafael Nadal better than Francisco Roig, who has been part of his coaching team since 2005 and was among the few allowed courtside in Bercy on Thursday to watch his friend beat the accomplished Australian Jordan Thompson 6-1, 7-6 (3).
What Roig saw was a contented, fit and buzzing Nadal move smoothly into the quarter-finals of the Paris Masters – which he has not won in seven attempts – where he will play another Spaniard who knows him nearly as well, Pablo Carreño Busta.
