Weary Nadal sees off Hewitt in tough battle

DEFENDING champion Rafael Nadal admits he is feeling the strain of playing too much tennis in recent days after advancing to the quarter-finals of the French Open.

The 20-year-old Spaniard, and the second seed in Paris, dispatched former world number one Lleyton Hewitt of Australia 6-2 5-7 6-4 6-2 in three hours and 17 minutes in their fourth-round clash.

Nadal, who beat Argentinian Mariano Puerta in last year’s final, has now won a total of 57 consecutive matches on clay after claiming titles in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Rome this season.