Rio Open 2014: Rafael Nadal vs Daniel Gimeno-Traver - As it happened

Rafael Nadal during his 1st match at the Rio Open

Round 1: Rafael Nadal vs Daniel Gimeno-Traver 6-3, 7-5

It was a slow start from Nadal. After a three-week break, the rust showed. Gimeno-Traver got a break point opportunity in the very first game, which Nadal began serving. But Nadal got his hold on the game, and held serve.

Nadal made some gross mistakes with his backhand soon after, as Gimeno-Traver easily levelled at 1-1. But the rustiness only lasted for two games. From then on, Nadal was back to how we know him on clay – running opponents ragged with his punishing top spinning forehands and acute backhands.

Gimeno-Traver had taken only seven previous games from Nadal in their previous two encounters, but he played his shots with conviction. Both players continued to hold serve, with Gimeno-Traver opening up his forehand well, but Nadal was always there, to retrieve everything hit at him. He went up 3-2 with a superb crosscourt winner, after Gimeno-Traver returned the ball meekly from the net straight to Nadal.

Nadal tightened the screws in the very next game, and a couple of mistakes from Gimeno-Traver gave Nadal break point. He easily converted with a forehand down the line.

He continued his ascendancy in the set, and produced a couple of drop shots as well, as Gimeno-Travel crumbled. After a slight hiccup while serving for the set, Nadal took it 6-3.

Gimeno-Traver held the opening game of the second set, and silently crept to two break points on Nadal’s opening service game. Nadal saved the first one when Gimeno-Traver hit a loose shot at the net, but couldn’t save the second as he hit a forehand long.

As expected, Nadal immediately put pressure in the third game, and in spite of wrong-footing the World No. 1, Gimeno-Traver was not able to consolidate the break. Nadal followed a superb angled backhand shot with his trademark forehand down to line, to break back right away.

Nadal was back to his steamrolling best again, but Gimeno-Traver held on. The set continued with both players holding serve. At the business end of the set at 4-4 came the most entertaining game of the set and the match. Nadal, being the champion that he is, piled the pressure on Gimeno-Traver who did get himself out of a small hole from 0-30, but couldn’t stop Nadal from getting to break point.

Gimeno-Traver saved one with a sliding shot, which didn’t connect with the net cord as expected, and saved another one when Nadal spurned a backhand wide. He double faulted to give a third break point but Nadal went long again. He ensured he wouldn’t gift Nadal any more opportunities and did well under pressure to lead 5-4.

Nadal didn’t have trouble holding his own serve and ensured there would be no tie-breaker as he broke Gimeno-Traver at 15 and raced to two match points. Gimeno-Traver saved one but he could only watch as his forehand smacked the net.

All in all, it was a good test for Nadal on his return to tennis courts and he will now face Albert Montanes in the next round.