Nadal begins in Barcelona Open with easy win

Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal registered an easy 6-3, 6-2 win over his compatriot Marcel Granollers in the opening match of the Barcelona Open.

Nadal, eight-times winner of the Barcelona Open, beat Granollers in an hour and 31 minutes here on Wednesday, reports Efe.

His performance was similar to his form in Monte Carlo where he recently won its title.

He will face his compatriot Albert Montanes next, who surprisingly defeated the 14th seeded Portuguese Joao Sousa 6-1, 6-3. He has never won a set against Nadal in three previous tour-level encounters.

World No.5 Nadal was broken in the opening game by Granollers, but struck back with two breaks of serve to take the opening set. The left-hander continued to overwhelm the unseeded Granollers with his power and court coverage in the second set, breaking Granollers twice while not facing a break point.

"Marcel started very strongly and broke me in the first game. It was a difficult match, very windy, which made his game tough to read. He took the initiative from the beginning," Nadal said after the match.

"I am playing really well. It was a complicated first round against a player who had just reached the quarter-finals in Monte Carlo, beating three good rivals."

--IANS

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