Rafael Nadal beats Fernando Verdasco in Hamburg opener
Tuesday 28 July 2015 19:30, UK
Rafael Nadal marked his return to Hamburg after a seven-year absence with a hard-fought 3-6 6-1 6-1 victory against compatriot Fernando Verdasco.
Top-seeded Nadal, down at 10 in the world after a difficult year in which he lost his French Open title and suffered another early exit from Wimbledon, decided to play the clay court tournament in a bid to resurrect his fortunes before heading for the US hard court season.
The effervescent Verdasco, 31, had won their last two clashes on the hard courts of Miami earlier this year and on clay in Madrid in 2012 and he came out firing on all cylinders to take the first set under the court's canvas cover.
But the 14-time Grand Slam champion showed great fighting spirit and composure to win the next two for the loss of two games.
Verdasco saved one match point but then hit the net with a backhand to hand Nadal the win at the clay-court tournament.
He will take on the winner of the match between Czech youngster Jiri Vesely and Andreas Haider-Maurer from Austria for a place in the quarter-finals.
In Nadal's last visit to the German city, he defeated Roger Federer in the 2008 final.
He is now 12-2 at the tournament, having only lost to Federer in 2007 and to former Roland Garros champion Gaston Gaudio in 2003.
There was good news for British No 2 Aljaz Bedene who beat Daniel Gimeno-Traver 6-4 6-1 to advance through to the next round where he will meet third-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut.
The Slovenian-born British player, who reached the second round exit at Wimbledon, was playing on the dirt for the second week following his exit to Croatian teenager Borna Coric in Umag.
Fourth-seeded Italian Andreas Seppi also tasted success on Tuesday, beating Martin Klizan 6-2 6-4, while sixth seed Juan Monaco of Argentina overcame Ernests Gulbis 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 in a testing opener for the 2012 champion.
It was not such a good day for seventh seed Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, though, as the Spaniard was forced to retire when 2-1 up in the first set against countryman Jaume Munar due to a leg injury.
Also, France's Benoit Paire, fresh of winning his maiden ATP World Tour title in Bastad, saw off home hope Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3 3-6 6-1.
