Rafael Nadal vs John Isner LIVE updates: Nadal takes the first set in Beijing

World No1 Nadal takes on American Isner in the last eight of the men’s side at the China Open.

Nadal, who won the US Open last month, has beaten Lucas Pouille and Karen Khachanov to make it this far.

Isner, meanwhile, beat Nadal at the Laver Cup last month – coming out on top 7-5 6-5.

But for ATP events Nadal is 6-0 up on Isner.

Nadal vs Isner comes following Simona Halep’s victory over Daria Kasatkina, while Grigor Dimitrov also beat Roberto Bautista Agut on the second court.

Rafael Nadal vs John Isner LIVE updates: Follow the China Open quarter final here

09.16: Rafael Nadal 5-5 John Isner (6-4)

No problem for Nadal as he holds again to take it to 5-5 in the second.

The Spaniard has not let this slip and Isner has barely had a crack at a break.

His movement too good and resilience too strong.

Isner has tried to mix the big baseline strokes with occasional drop shots but Nadal has been up to it all.

Pressure back on Isner to hold another service game.

09.09: Rafael Nadal 4-5 John Isner (6-4)

The American gets the job done and can breathe easier now.

He holds with a powerful service game.

Nadal never even got a sniff at the one and now he needs to be on guard to hold here.

09.07: Rafael Nadal 4-4 John Isner (6-4)

Nadal holds to love to level the second set again.

Big game now. This is where Nadal broke in the first.

Isner needs to be on guard here.

09.04: Rafael Nadal 3-4 John Isner (6-4)

Isner holds with an ace to take seventh game of the set.

A crucial moment for the American now. It was his next game of the first set that he let Nadal get the break in and take the lead.

If Isner can battle back for a break Nadal he can open this one right up.

09.00: Rafael Nadal 3-3 John Isner (6-4)

Isner crunches a baseline shot to tie this game up at 30-30 to put himself in position to challenge a break.

But he goes to long in the next point and gives Nadal an out that he takes to hold again.

08.55: Rafael Nadal 2-3 John Isner (6-4)

Nadal produces a sublime slice to take the first point on Isner’s serve after sending him hopping round the court.

But Isner comes back at him with two big serves and a bit of net play – one of his first successful forays into the court – to set up the hold.

The final point Isner takes control again and keeps Nadal back.

He’s in the groove again and needs to attack Nadal’s serve in this next one to turn the match on its head.

08.51: Rafael Nadal 2-2 John Isner (6-4)

Nadal rocks to another hold and will look to pile the pressure on Isner’s serve now.

08.48: Rafael Nadal 1-2 John Isner (6-4)

The American needed two big serves to get the hold with Nadal having a look at another break point.

The players go for a rest after an intense start to the second set.

Neither player hitting the height of their first set play yet.

08.43: Rafael Nadal 1-1 John Isner (6-4)

Isner earned two break points after a lacklustre start from Nadal but he fought back to deuce.

Nadal then took the hold, but Isner will have gained another glimmer of hope after seeing the Spaniard shake at the start.

But on the other hand his inability to convert these break points will be a worry.

08.37: Rafael Nadal 0-1 John Isner (6-4)

Isner holds the first game of the second set – getting over the first set straight away.

Nadal back to serve after picking up a fresh towel from his bag.

08.33: Rafael Nadal 6-4 John Isner

First set recap. A great start to the action today with Rafael Nadal taking the first set 6-4.

John Isner hit 11 aces to nasal’s two but also produced two double faults.

Isner’s first serve percentage of 79 was hot but not enough to avoid being broken for the first time in Beijing.

Nadal showed his class when he needed to breaking at the perfect moment before serving out the set.

08.30: Rafael Nadal 6-4 John Isner

FIRST SET NADAL

Nadal holds to take the first set 6-4.

Big step towards the semi-finals.

Isner was broken for the fist time in Beijing and Nadal then powered through the final game to take the set.

08.25: Rafael Nadal 5-4 John Isner

NADAL BREAKS!

Nadal races into a 0-30 lead as Isner’s first serves go out the window.

A beautiful return from Nadal gets in behind Isner as Nadal earns three break points.

Isner comes up with two aces to take two away but he converts the third to take the first break of the game.

Now he serves for the first set with Isner broken for the first time in Beijing.

08.20: Rafael Nadal 4-4 John Isner

Nadal gives Isner the run around with the longest rally of the match so far at the start of the eighth game.

Extending the points could be the answer for Nadal as he likes to wear Isner down.

And Nadal holds to love to put more pressure on this next Isner service game.

08.16: Rafael Nadal 3-4 John Isner

A casual volley on game point from Isner takes the sting out of the game a little bit.

Really bad mistake that from the American as he allows Nadal back in.

Nadal then takes advantage and moves up to deuce.

Isner throws down another big one to gain the advantage and then serves an ace for the hold.

But it was tight after that error – he needs to sort his head out. He can’t afford those mistakes against the world no.1.

08.12: Rafael Nadal 3-3 John Isner

More routine on this service game for Nadal as he wins after making a correct challenge as Isner goes long from the baseline.

Nadal needs to keep his service games quick to give him a chance of attacking Isner serve.

08.06: Rafael Nadal 2-3 John Isner

The bombs were dropping.

Isner held to 15 in a quick-fire fifth game.

08.04 Rafael Nadal 2-2 John Isner

Nadal gets into the net to put away the opening point in style with a backhand volley.

The Spaniard followed it up when an error when he went long to let Isner back into the game.

A second error gave Isner some hope of a break before Nadal produced an ace of his own.

More flashes of complacency crept in from Nadal and Isner had the first break point but Nadal swept it away with a delicate stroke to take it back to deuce before he eventually held.

He won’t like how much he had to work for that one though. Some hope for Isner?

07.54: Rafael Nadal 1-2 John Isner

Nadal has his eye on a break early on in the third game as he went 15-30 up but Isner battled back to hold again.

Nadal did take him to deuce though before another big ace from Isner handed him the advantage which he took when Nadal returned long.

07.50: Rafael Nadal 1-1 John Isner

Isner is wayward on some of his ground strokes when Nadal gets into him and it costs him the second game.

Nadal has got his game face on early and holds his first service game to love.

07.48: Rafael Nadal 0-1 John Isner

John Isner throws a couple of big serves down in the first game.

Three big aces help him hold to 30.

Nadal was sharp and took the points when getting into a rally.

But Isner is big and strong and the bombs have already started dropping.

07.45: Here we go then. China Open quarter final: Rafael Nadal vs John Isner LIVE.

Isner serves first. Game on.

07.35: Nadal insists Isner is one of the toughest players on the tour and pointed to his baseline play as something to keep an eye on.

“Everybody knows that he serves huge and it is so difficult to break him,” he said. 

“But if you add that he is playing very well now from the baseline, he is one of the toughest opponents you can meet.”

The players are out on court and will begin their warm ups in the next few minutes.

07.30: Roberto Bautista Agut has taken Grigor Dimitrov to a third set but Rafael Nadal will be getting underway shortly on the main court in Beijing.

Nadal will be hoping to maintain his 100% ATP record over the American – despite losing to him in the Laver Cup last month – and has his sights on finishing the year as world no.1.

07:20: Rafael Nadal and John Isner are getting underway shortly but the Spaniard has admitted he’s worried about the big serves that will be coming his way shortly.

Nadal saw off Karen Khachanov yesterday but Isner is a more rounded player – despite offering a huge service game,

“It will be a tough one against Isner – he’s playing unbelievably well,” Nadal admitted.

“I saw his match today. He played huge.

“So let’s see what’s going on tomorrow.”

07.15: Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of Rafael Nadal vs John Isner in the China Open.

Stick with us and we will guide you through today’s quarter-final match up.