Rafael Nadal reaches Australian Open quarter-finals with straight sets win over Fabio Fognini

Rafael Nadal has stepped up his campaign for a second Australian Open title, reaching the last eight with a comfortable win over Italian 16th seed Fabio Fognini on Rod Laver Arena.

Fognini, who took eliminated Australia’s last men’s hope, Alex de Minaur, in the previous round, found Nadal a far tougher proposition — the Spaniard advanced 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in just two hours and 16 minutes.

The win puts him in the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park for the 13th time.

Fognini produced more winners than his opponent — 32 to 24 — but his inability to repeat the consistency of his play against de Minaur proved a big problem.

Nadal has had question marks over his fitness this summer, but he appeared to move easily as he dominated the latter part…