Nadal begins Miami bid in style
Kerber, Venus advance but Indian Wells winner Vesnina loses to wild card Tomljanovic in three
>> KEY BISCAYNE: Rafael Nadal’s first fist pump on Friday followed his second point in the Miami Open, when he kissed a forehand off the sideline to win a long rally.
He accompanied the celebratory gesture with a skip in his step and then hit the accelerator, holding every service game to beat Dudi Sela 6-3, 6-4.
Thus began Nadal’s latest bid to win Key Biscayne.
“A lot of big motivation,” he said. He’s playing the tournament for the 13th time and has never won it, although he was the runner-up in 2005, 2008, 2010 and 2014. At 0 for 12, it’s Nadal’s longest drought at any event, and perhaps the most glaring gap in the 14-time Grand Slam champion’s resume.
Does it bug him? He won’t admit to any frustration, but let slip that he still remembers the exact score when he was two points from the title in the third set versus Novak Djokovic. That was six years ago. “Against Novak — 6-5, 15-30,” Nadal said. “It didn’t happen.”
The Spaniard has always enjoyed the atmosphere in Miami, where Latin fans give him enthusiastic support.
“I’m trying my best every year,” Nadal said. “I’ve been very close four times. I will try to give myself another chance.”
American 11th seed Venus Williams, whose third and most recent Key Biscayne title came in 2001, won her opening match against Beatriz Haddad Maia, 6-4, 6-3. German world No.1 and top seed Angelique Kerber beat Duan Ying-Ying of China 7-6 (7/3), 6-2.
Making Nadal’s title bid easier will be the absence of six-time champion Djokovic and two-time champion Andy Murray, both out with elbow injuries.
But third seed Milos Raonic is back. He won in his first match since Feb 25, beating Viktor Troicki 6-3, 7-5. Raonic had been sidelined by a right leg injury.
Second seed Kei Nishikori beat Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-3. Seventh seed Marin Cilic lost to Jeremy Chardy 6-4, 2-6, 6-3. American Jack Sock, seeded 13th, advanced when Yoshihito Nishioka retired with an injury leading 4-2 in the first set.
In women’s play, Elena Vesnina made a quick exit only five days after winning the biggest title of her career. Seeded 13th, Vesnina lost her opening match to wild card Ajla Tomljanovic 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.
Vesnina beat Svetlana Kuznetsova in the Indian Wells final.