Nadal will next face Ukraine's Alexandr Dolgopolov.
The volatile 17th seed had a quiet evening by his standards in his opening match on Monday, with just the one violation for unsportsmanlike behaviour when he asked spectator, in no uncertain terms, to be quiet while he was serving.
Federer has been brandishing an aggressive style of play, forcing the action and rushing in to half-volley weak second serves to forge an advantage.
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer stayed on track for a mouth-watering showdown in the BNP Paribas Open quarter-finals after they both advanced to the last 16 on Monday.
Former World No 1 Rafael Nadal breezed through to the semi-finals of the Mexican Open on Thursday, dispatching Argentine Leonardo Mayer in straight sets 6-1, 7-5.
Zverev's brother Mischa Zverev was also eliminated, going out 6-3, 6-1 to David Ferrer in the first round, while Kei Nishikori eased to a 7-5, 6-2 win over Taylor Fritz to secure a place in the third round.
Veteran Indian tennis star Leander Paes won his second Challenger-level title of the season but Ramkumar Ramanathan had to be content with a runner-up finish at the $ 75000 clay-court event, in Florida.
Nadal's comments follow media reports this week that Novak Djokovic, the president of the Players' Council, had urged players to unionise at a pre-Australian Open meeting and revolt over the way the revenues from the four grand slams are distributed.
Twice champion Rafa Nadal and triple winner Roger Federer barely raised a sweat as they each cruised into the third round of the Indian Wells ATP tournament with imperious victories on Sunday.
Andy Murray is ready for "one more big push" this week as he tries to steer defending champions Britain into the Davis Cup final.
Ramkumar battled past Italian qualifier Andrea Arnaboldi 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 in the semi-finals of the US $75,000 clay court event after two hours and 34 minutes.
Top seed Andy Murray gave Spaniard Albert Montanes a 6-4, 6-2 mauling in the quarter-finals of the Valencia Open on Friday as the Briton continued his comeback from a wrist injury.
India's Rohan Bopanna and his Romanian partner Marius Copil got off to a rousing start at the French Open, knocking out sixth seeds Raven Klaasen and Michael Venus in the first round, in Paris, on Tuesday.
Marin Cilic sent Croatia into the Davis Cup final with a 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 victory against Richard Gasquet on Sunday that gave the hosts a 3-1 win over France.
Petra Kvitova completed her preparations for an assault on a third Grand Slam title in triumphant style on Friday by downing fellow Czech Karolina Pliskova 7-6, 7-6 to win the Sydney International title.
Rafael Nadal put in some late-night overtime to drag hosts Spain into the Davis Cup semi-finals but Novak Djokovic's hopes were dashed in excruciating fashion as Serbia bowed out on Friday.
British pair Jamie Murray and Dominic Inglot defeated Canadians Daniel Nestor and Vasek Pospisil in four sets in Ottawa to give Britain a 2-1 lead ahead of Sunday's reverse singles.
India's Rohan Bopanna and his French partner Edouard Roger-Vasselin stormed into the pre-quarterfinals of the Australian Open after registering a comfortable straight sets victory in the men's doubles, on Friday.
Rafael Nadal returned to Davis Cup action for the first time in two years on Friday with his victory putting Spain ahead in a Group One relegation playoff against Denmark.
Former world number one Serena Williams returns to Grand Slam action for the first time in over 15 months, when she goes up against Czech Kristyna Pliskova in the French Open first round.
Veteran Indian star Mahesh Bhupathi and Julian Knowle defeated Leonardo Mayer and Alberto Ramos to move into the second round of the men's doubles at Wimbledon on Wednesday. The eighth seeded Indo-Austrian pair scored a 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-2 win.
The decision by the 36-year-old Swiss, who was stunned in the final of last year's Rogers Cup in Montreal by German Alexander Zverev, comes less than two weeks after his quarter-final loss at Wimbledon.
An ailing Rafael Nadal added his name to the list of upsets at the Shanghai Masters after the Spaniard suffered a 6-3, 7-6(6) loss to Feliciano Lopez in Wednesday's second round, as fourth seed Stanislas Wawrinka and in-form Kei Nishikori also made early exits. Nadal's great rival Roger Federer survived a huge scare, saving five match-points before overcoming Argentina's Leonardo Mayer 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(7).
A summary of Friday's tennis action from around the world.
He was slapped with $24,000 in fines on Friday but was allowed to play two matches in the doubles tournament with partner Simone Bolelli before the Grand Slam Board announced their decision to suspend Fognini on Saturday.
Mahesh Bhupathi, Rohan Bopanna and Sania Mirza advanced to the second round of doubles events at Wimbledon on Wednesday.
Andy Murray demolished Croatian teenager Borna Coric 6-1, 6-2 in the second round of the Paris Masters on Wednesday to set up a Davis Cup-flavoured clash with Belgium's David Goffin.
World number two Roger Federer launches his bid for a sixth US Open title, and his first since 2008, with a first-round match against Argentina's Leonardo Mayer at the Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday.
Organisers made Thiem move out and the Austrian was fuming at being treated like 'a junior'.
A summary of Sunday's matches at the French Open.
'It's a positive start with a good result. If I do months without playing an official match, it's always a little bit more difficult.'
Federer beats Ruud, becomes oldest man to reach French Open 4th round since 1972
Roger Federer cruised to a 6-4, 6-4 win over Peter Gojowczyk in his first appearance since losing in the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
Leonardo Mayer beat Joao Souza in a Davis Cup singles match that lasted a record six hours and 42 minutes.
Brothers Jamie and Andy Murray claimed a tense four-hour doubles rubber against Australian pair Lleyton Hewitt and Sam Groth on Saturday to put Britain 2-1 up and on the verge of a first Davis Cup final since 1978.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Wednesday
IMAGES from the matches played at the PNB Paribas Open at Indian Wells on Wednesday
The Swiss squandered seven set points in the opener and although he took the second on a tiebreak he capitulated in the decider after dropping serve at 1-2, losing 7-5, 6-7(3), 6-1.
Halep through but Stephens exits in Cincinnati
Serena Williams must navigate a heavily American quarter of the draw including sister Venus to complete a calendar sweep of the four Grand Slams, while two sensational quarter-finals loom on the men's side after Thursday's U.S. Open draw.