Djokovic, Nadal advance
said. “So to win the matches like this definitely helps confidence.”
Djokovic won in Doha to start the season but never made it past the quarterfinals in the following four tournaments he played. In his first clay-court tournament, in Monte Carlo, Djokovic was eliminated by David Goffin in quarterfinals.
“I’m still finding my way to that consistency level and quality of tennis that I’m looking for,” Djokovic said. “I’m aware that I’m not playing at my best, but I’m definitely believing in myself and the process. Eventually the game will come together. I can take a lot of positives from today.”
Djokovic had his playing time diminished this year because of an elbow injury. Wednesday’s match was his first since splitting with longtime coach Marian Vajda.
Nadal had a tough start against Fognini, needing to save 10 of 12 break points conceded to the Italian in the first set alone. Fognini served for the set at 5-4 but was not able to capitalize on his chance. He threw his racket on the ground three times in a row after losing a decisive point in the tiebreaker.
It was the 11th straight win for Nadal, and his tour-leading 30th victory for the year. The fifthranked Spaniard has won 22 of his last 24 sets.
“Even though I played really badly, my attitude has been very positive,” Nadal said. “My attitude and the will to win today’s match was there. My level of tennis was not so high today, but I managed to make it through.”
Nadal was coming off titles in Monte Carlo and Barcelona and had made it to three finals earlier in the year.
Fognini had three career wins over Nadal, including one in the 2015 U.S. Open, but had lost the last three in straight sets.
Fifth-seeded Milos Raonic of Canada defeated Gilles Muller of Luxemburg 6-4, 6-4, while sixthseeded Kei Nishikori of Japan recovered from a slow start to beat Diego Schwartzman of Argentina 1-6, 6-0, 6-4.
Nishikori, a finalist in Madrid in 2014, is playing in his first tournament since March. He withdrew from Barcelona last month because of a right wrist injury.
“In the beginning I wasn’t playing 100 per cent,” Nishikori said. “But in the second and third (sets) I was feeling pretty good on the court, moving well, so I was very happy.”
Nishikori will play in the third round against Spaniard David Ferrer, who advanced after 10thseeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France withdrew before the match because of a shoulder injury.
Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic defeated Robin Haase of the Netherlands 7-6 (5), 6-3,
In the women’s draw, Eugenie Bouchard of Canada advanced to the quarterfinals after top-seeded Angelique Kerber retired with a left thigh injury in the second set.
Bouchard was leading 6-3, 5-0 when her German opponent pulled out.
Third-seeded Simona Halep of Romania defeated 16th-seeded Samantha Stosur of Australia 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
Eighth-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia defeated Qiang Wang of China 6-4, 7-5, while 14th-seeded Kristina Mladenovic of France defeated countrywoman Oceane Dodin 6-2, 6-1.