Indian Wells ATP: Nadal triumphant in hard-court return

Spaniard cruised into third round with straight sets victory.

INDIAN WELLS: Rafael Nadal made a triumphant return to hard-court tennis on Saturday, booking his third-round berth at Indian Wells with a straight-sets victory over American Ryan Harrison.

Seeded only fifth in a tournament he won in 2007 and 2009, Nadal was nevertheless squarely in the spotlight as he played his first hard-court match in 346 days.

After a few tense moments in the opening set, he came through with flying colors, beating 73rd-ranked American Harrison 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 in one hour and 33 minutes.

“Two weeks ago, I didn’t really know if I would be here playing,” he said. “Any victory is important for me because that gives me the chance to play another day. That’s what I need, to play matches. I need to compete.”

Nadal moved closer to a projected quarter-final match-up with old foe Roger Federer, the defending champion who cruised into the third round with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin.

Federer wrapped up the match in 57 minutes and did not face a break point. Federer said he would not be surprised to see Nadal across the net in the quarter-finals.

“Him not having played, for me, doesn’t make any difference, really,” said the Swiss. “I still expect him to be really difficult and tough to beat here.”

Nadal’s fellow Spaniard David Ferrer echoed those thoughts after becoming the first major casualty of the tournament. Fourth-seed Ferrer, who overtook Nadal in the world rankings, was beaten 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 by 37th-ranked South African Kevin Anderson.

Ferrer said he expected Nadal to flourish on hard courts, just as he has on clay.

“He’s playing good,” said Ferrer. “He’s not playing with pain in his knee and that is a very good point.”

Other men advancing included France’s Gilles Simon, who saved three match points in a 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 victory over Paolo Lorenzi. Australian warhorse Lleyton Hewitt beat last year’s runner-up John Isner 6-7 (6/8), 6-3, 6-4.

Elsewhere, women’s top seed and defending champion Victoria Azarenka survived a shaky start to make it safely into the third round with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over two-time former champion Daniela Hantuchova.

Azarenka, unbeaten in 2013 and winner of the Australian Open and the WTA event in Doha, fell behind 4-1 in the first set, but surrendered just one game in the next 12.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2013.