Nadal advances at Barcelona

Rafael Nadal needed three sets to beat his 111th-ranked opponent in his first match at the Barcelona Open on Wednesday, while Fabio Fognini was disqualified for alleged verbal abuse. Fognini was defaulted while trailing 6-0, 4-4 against qualifier Bernabe Zapata Miralles of Spain after a line judge told the chair umpire that the ninth-seeded Italian had used foul language. Fognini denied wrongdoing and was upset as he left the court, breaking his racket after hitting it at the net post on his way out. Nadal had to overcome a slow start to defeat Ilya Ivashka of Belarus 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 at the clay-court tournament. Nadal will face two-time Barcelona champion Kei Nishikori of Japan, who defeated Cristian Garin of Chile 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-1.