Nadal breezes through to 4th round at Australian Open

Rafael Nadal didn't let the much hyped potential future star of Australian tennis stop him in his quest for a fourth consecutive major title.

Overcoming a mostly parochial crowd of 15,000 at Rod Laver Arena, the top ranked Nadal had a 6-2, 7-5, 6-3 win over 18 year old wild card, Bernard Tomic in an Australian Open third round match on Saturday.

Nadal advanced to a fourth round encounter with Marin Cilic, and a continuing date with destiny.

A title at Melbourne Park will make the Spanish star the first man since Rod Laver in 1969, to hold all four Grand Slam trophies at once, although Laver achieved the true Grand Slam by winning all four in a calendar year.