still learning, adapting and getting better. So

RIO DE JANEIRO - Rafael Nadal showed no problem with his tender back in his second match since returning from the injury, defeating fellow Spaniard Albert Montanes 6-1, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals of the Rio Open on Thursday. The No. 1-ranked Nadal tweaked his back warming up for the Australian Open final, which he lost almost four weeks ago in a major upset against Stanislas Wawrinka. His first stop after the layoff is the clay in Rio as he tests the back and tries to stay healthy for the French Open in three months. A year ago he used the Latin American swing to test his recovery from an injured left knee. Nadal seemed to move freely against Montanes and wore a large, blue elastic bandage on his lower back as a precaution. "The back, well, its bothering me a little," Nadal said. "Right now its not hurting my game, but Im serving a little more gently than Im used to doing." Nadal said he pushed his recovery "a little bit" to play in Rio, after pulling out of the tournament the week before in Buenos Aires. "I am here and very happy being here," he said. "When you get an injury in the final of a Grand Slam, and you stop (playing/practicing) for 2 1/2 weeks, the comeback is not easy." Asked if nagging injuries might force an early retirement, the 27-year-old joked a bit before getting serious. "I cant predict the future, but my intention is to play many years," he said. In the other key mens match, third-seeded Fabio Fognini reached the last eight beating Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay 7-6 (1), 4-6, 6-3. Second-seeded David Ferrer advanced on Wednesday. Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine advanced to his second quarterfinals of the year, beating Facundo Bagnis of Argentina 6-7 (4), 6-2, 7-6 (4). Dolgopolov said he hadnt considered leaving the tournament to return to his Kyiv birthplace, where more than 100 people have died in anti-government protests this week. Government snipers killed at least 70 on Thursday. "Its sad. I cant do much, but just support," he said. "Whoever is right doesnt matter now when people are dying." Dolgopolov, who lives in the wealthy European enclave of Monte Carlo, said he was lucky to have the chance to make money playing tennis. "Obviously I would like the people in the (Ukraine) to feel better. If I could, I would change that," he said. On the womens side of the combined ATP-WTA event, fifth-seeded Kurumi Nara of Japan and Lourdes Dominguez Lino of Spain set up a quarterfinal matchup after second-round wins. Nara defeated Anna-Lena Friedsam of Germany 6-0, 7-6 (3), and was in sight of her first WTA semifinals. Dominguez Lino beat Chanelle Scheepers of South Africa 2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-1. Nara said she likes the hot weather in Rio and is getting used to the clay. "Now I like the clay court," she said. "Last year, I didnt like it." Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania also made the last eight, as did Brazils Teliana Pereira. She is the first Brazilian woman in 23 years to crack the WTAs top 100. The last was Andrea Vieira. Brazils most famous womens player is Maria Bueno, who won seven Grand Slams singles titles, the last at the US Open in 1966. Air Max From China . A groundswell for raising the number of playoff qualifiers to seven in each conference figures to get plenty of support from the 32 owners. Most notably, Arizonas Bill Bidwill, who saw his Cardinals go 10-6 and not get in, while Green Bay (8-7-1) qualified by winning the NFC North. 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This wasnt an act, some attempt at psyching out Hoyer.Amir Khan does not think Floyd Mayweather will enter the octagon with Conor McGregor, but said he would be more than happy to. A fight between Mayweather, one of the greats of boxing history, and UFC featherweight champion McGregor has been talked up in boxing and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) circles.Khan was often on the other end of reports linking him with a fight against Mayweather, but that never materialised before the American retired with a perfect 49-0 record after he beat Andre Berto last September. He believes talk of Mayweather versus McGregor was little more than a publicity stunt but, at the age of 29, feels he still has time to develop himself into an MMA fighter.And Khan feels taking on the Irishman, who was a youth boxing champion before switching to MMA, would be the kind of fight the world wants to see.Speaking to flocombat.com, Khan, who was beaten by Saul Alvarez in May, said: I would definitely give it a go. Its something to learn, as well. Floyd Mayweather was linked with a clash against Khan before his retirement and McGregor since he hung up his gloves Im at that age where Im still learning, adapting and getting better. So I still have time under me as well.dddddddddddd Im still a young lad and got loads left in me.It just depends on the weight category. But look, as a fighter, thats a fight I would take. McGregor is a massive name in MMA, and Im a big name in boxing, so globally, I think it would be a massive fight.Sometimes, you have to put friendship aside and you have to take it in the cage or in the ring. But yeah, if that fight comes up to me, Im not one to back away from it. Conor McGregor (left) punches Nate Diaz during UFC 196 With MMA, it seems quite easy to make fights that the fans want to see. I was chasing Mayweather for two years, and the fight never happened. The fans wanted to see it, but he didnt want it. So thats the difference between MMA and boxing.Even if I started to train MMA next year, Id only be 30 years old. I could stop and train for a full year and become a good MMA fighter. Its in our blood to fight. Ive been fighting all my life, so for me, I dont think itd be a problem for me to learn and switch over to the sport. Also See: Lesnar flagged over drug test Bisping turned down GSP fight ' ' '