Rafael Nadal, flanked by Karan Rastogi (left) and K. Srikkanth, in Chennai on Wednesday. (PTI)

Chennai: There’s a spring in the steps of Carlos Moya, a new resolve which was missing during his two visits to India (Chennai and Mumbai) last year. The once world No. 1 and French Open champion may have stepped into his thirties and slipped significantly in the rankings ladder, but the hunger to excel and win against 20-somethings is unmistakably back.

Kevin Kim, a well-built American of Korean descent with a game to test any top-notcher, felt the Moya pinch on Wednesday evening.

The world No. 105 couldn’t have been faulted for thinking he played decent tennis but still found himself at the receiving end of a straight-set scoreline. The 6-4, 6-3 win carried the fifth-seeded Moya into the quarter finals of the Chennai Open — a tournament he has made his own with three straight final appearances and two titles.

With the lower half of the draw opening up following world No. 8 David Nalbandian’s early departure, the prospects of another passage to the title-round looks good for Moya. Of course, the Spaniard next has to contend with six foot-10-inch Ivo Karlovic, the tallest player on the Tour. The unseeded Croat struck 25 aces en route to a 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-2) triumph over Kristian Pless — the Dane who shut out Nalbandian

Moya looked a bit sluggish in the beginning and Kim, using a single-handed backhand to whack a couple of winners, took advantage by breaking serve. Fortunately for Moya, he was able to get the breakback rightaway.

Egged on by his band of loyal supporters, Moya was soon into his stride. The deadly forehand obeyed the master’s orders and caught Kim napping at the net time and time again. The Spaniard moved well too, chasing down a couple of drop-shots and winning those points with delightfully angled stop-volleys.

With the first set evens, Moya produced two magical forehand winners and a deep service return to clinch Kim’s serve in the crucial 10th game.

A break in the fourth game set up the second set nicely for Moya. There was a hint of a stutter as he scented victory. But with his serve on song as well, the Spaniard fought off four break-points (two each in games 7 and 9) before sewing it up.

Third seed Xavier Malisse was the first to capture a quarter final berth, but only after the talented Belgian lived through some agonising moments in the early stages of his contest with Stefano Galvani.

For 20 long minutes, it looked like Malisse was hell-bent on self-destruction. He questioned line calls, let out high-decibel grunts of anger and frustration, even threw his racket and broke it once. Luckily for the third seed, the calm presence of David Felgate in the players’ enclosure helped cool him in time to see off the Italian 6-3, 6-2.

Malisse’s first service game lasted all of eight minutes before his opponent converted the fourth break-point. Galvani returned the compliment straightaway after an even longer second game (10 minutes). Malisse’s frustration grew as chances came and went to break back serve. He did finally, on the fifth opportunity.

Spotting the weak link in the 29-year-old Italian’s game, Malisse attacked Galvani’s backhand. It worked to an extent. Ironically, it was a couple of forehand mishits that let the world No. 114 down in the fourth game. The 3-1 advantage was good enough for Malisse to ride through the opening set.

The points were dreary and the tennis quite unexciting in the second set as well. Malisse looked flat and listless, conceding two break-points in game 2. The fancied Belgian got out of jail because Galvani didn’t have the return to hurt his opponent.

Galvani dropped serve in the very next game, directing a sliced backhand return over the baseline. The Italian dropped serve yet again, in the seventh game. In the end, it was a cakewalk for Malisse. He took it gratefully.