Rafael Nadal Returns From Injury With Win In Madrid Open

MADRID: Rafael Nadal got off to a good start in his return from injury, defeating Miomir Kecmanovic in two sets to reach the third round at the Madrid Open on Wednesday.

Nadal showed few signs of rustiness in his 6-1, 7-6

(4) opening win at home. He cruised in the first set and recovered in the second after twice losing his serve following a rain interruption.

The victory lasted nearly two hours, but it was fast enough to allow Nadal to watch Real Madrid’s Champions League match later Wednesday night in the Spanish capital. Tournament organizers said Nadal asked to play in the afternoon so his match would not coincide with Madrid’s semifinal game against Manchester City, which the hosts won 3-1 to advance to the final.

Nadal is a Madrid fan and on Saturday gave the ceremonial kickoff at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium before the team clinched the Spanish league title with a win against Espanyol.

The fourth-ranked Nadal had been out for nearly 45 days after a rib stress fracture halted his great start to the season, highlighted by winning his record 21st Grand Slam title with victory at the Australian Open.

“Coming from injury I always need to play many matches to regain my best form,” Nadal said. “Winning is very important to give me confidence.”

Nadal was cruising before getting injured in the semifinals in Indian Wells, where he lost the final to Taylor Fritz for his first defeat of the season. Nadal missed tournaments in Miami, Monte Carlo and Barcelona.

Nadal could face a quarterfinal against Spanish teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz, and a semifinal against either top-ranked Novak Djokovic or former No. 1 Andy Murray. If he wins in Madrid, Nadal will move level with Djokovic on a record 37 titles in Masters 1000 tournaments.