MELBOURNE -- Spanish second seed Rafael Nadal produced a controlled performance to defeat compatriot Feliciano Lopez in straight sets and reach the quarter-finals of the Australian Open on Sunday.

The 10-time grand slam champion downed 18th-seeded Lopez 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 in 2hr 25min on a hot day at Rod Laver Arena to set up a last-eight encounter with either Czech seventh seed Tomas Berdych or Spain's Nicolas Almagro.

The world number two reached the Melbourne quarter-finals for the sixth straight year and is chasing his second Australian Open victory after beating great rival Roger Federer in the 2009 final.

Nadal broke left-handed Lopez's serve five times and dropped his service only once. He was always in control of the match, improving his record against his opponent to nine wins in 11 meetings.

"It was a very hot day and I think it's a positive to win in straight sets especially in these conditions," Nadal said.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic blitzed his way into the Australian Open fourth round on Saturday, conceding just two games as big guns Andy Murray and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga also eased through.

The Serbian top seed, yet to drop a set in Melbourne as he chases a third consecutive grand slam title, destroyed hapless Mahut 6-0, 6-1, 6-1 in just 74 minutes.

Last year's beaten finalist Murray, the British fourth seed, had no trouble dispatching Frenchman Michael Llodra in a night match that featured some crowd-thrilling rallies.

And French sixth seed Tsonga, who lost to Djokovic in the 2008 Melbourne final, was also in a hurry, demolishing Portugal's Frederico Gil, ranked 107th, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2.

Djokovic, who set the tennis world alight in 2011, barely broke sweat as he reached the round of 16 in Melbourne for the sixth straight year.

He looked in ominous form as he set up a clash with two-times grand slam champion Lleyton Hewitt after the Australian's gutsy four-set win over Canadian power-server Milos Raonic in the night match on Rod Laver Arena. Djokovic leads Hewitt 4-1.

Mahut, who shares the record for the longest-ever tennis match of 11 hours and five minutes with John Isner at Wimbledon two years ago, struggled with a left knee injury on his 30th birthday.

Djokovic, who broke Mahut's serve eight times and made only eight unforced errors in the 20 games, is bidding to become the fifth man to win three consecutive grand slams after winning Wimbledon and the US Open last year.