BARCELONA, Spain — Rafael Nadal defeated Feliciano Lopez 6-4, 6-3 today to reach the Barcelona Open quarterfinals, posting his 100th win on clay in his last 101 matches.

The three-time French Open champion's only loss during that stretch — dating back to 2005 — came against Roger Federer in Hamburg Masters final last year.

"That's not bad," Nadal said.

Taking control from the start, Nadal forced Lopez to save three break chances in the third game to hold his serve. Nadal, the three-time defending champion, broke in the fifth game when the 35th-ranked Lopez hit long.

Nadal's backhand was sharp throughout the match, and another break in the second set was enough to set up a quarterfinal match against Juan Ignacio Chela, who defeated Ernests Gulbis 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Nadal, who had bandages across his left shoulder and under both knees, had been critical of the scheduling of clay-court tournaments.

The second-ranked Spaniard next plays at Rome and Hamburg, and has a one-week break before the French Open.

Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland will play Albert Montanes after upsetting seventh-ranked David Nalbandian 6-3, 6-1. Montanes held on to beat Mikhail Kukushkin 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

Earlier, fifth-seeded David Ferrer rallied to stop Nicolas Lapentti 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

He will next play Tommy Robredo, who topped ninth-seeded Guillermeo Canas 6-1, 7-5.

Robredo, the last player to win the tournament before Nadal, eased through the first set and held a 4-1 lead in the second. But Canas rallied and led 5-4, before Robredo won the last three games and won the match when Canas hit into the net.