Nadal extends claycourt record in Monte Carlo

MONTE CARLO, Apr 18 (Reuters) Rafael Nadal extended his record claycourt winning streak to 63 matches with a 6-3 6-1 victory over Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela in the Monte Carlo Masters Series second round today.

The double French Open champion, who also won in the principality in 2005 and 2006, wrapped up a straightforward win on his third match point.

Following an early exchange of breaks, the left-handed Spaniard twice stole his opponent's serve to get a grip on the contest.

Second seed Nadal broke again in the third game of the second set before going on to secure a meeting with Belgian Kristof Vliegen.

''I am very happy to be here, where I've already won twice, and I'm also delighted to have won this match,'' Nadal said in a courtside interview.

Swede Robin Soederling caused a major upset when he beat Russian third seed Nikolay Davydenko 6-4 6-7 6-3.

Big-serving Soederling next meets Max Mirnyi of Belarus for a quarter-final spot.

World number four Davydenko lost the first set and was allowed back into the contest in the second when his opponent wasted two match points.

But Soederling finally emerged triumphant on his fifth match point.

DJOKOVIC THROUGH Sixth seed Novak Djokovic overcame a loss of concentration to advance with a 6-1 3-6 6-1 win over former French Open champion Gaston Gaudio.

The 19-year-old Serb only conceded 11 points in the first set.

Argentine Gaudio, who won at Roland Garros in 2004, took advantage of several unforced errors from Djokovic to level the match before the Serb regained his focus to open a 4-0 lead in the third set.

''I got off to a good start but in the first game of the third set I was lucky to save a break point,'' said Djokovic.

''Then everything was much easier for me.'' Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero looked close to his best in a 6-2 6-0 demolition of Chile's Nicolas Massu.

Russian Igor Andreev, the last player to beat Nadal on clay two years ago, saw off fourth seed Fernando Gonzalez of Chile 6-2 2-6 6-3.

Spanish fifth seed Tommy Robredo defeated France's Arnaud Clement 6-3 6-2 while Czech Tomas Berdych thrashed German Benjamin Becker 6-1 6-2.

Argentine David Nalbandian, seeded ninth, retired injured when trailing German qualifier Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-5 4-1.

REUTERS BJR KP2059