BUENOS AIRES: Rafael Nadal returned to action on Thursday for the first time since his shock first-round exit from the Australian Open with a straight-sets win over Juan Monaco in the ATP Argentina Open.

Defending Buenos Aires champion Nadal wasn’t his sharpest self in the rematch of last year’s final.

He dropped his serve three times but broke Monaco in the final game of each set to emerge with a 6-4, 6-4 victory in one hour and 38 minutes. He set up a quarter-final clash with Italy’s Paolo Lorenzi, a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 winner over Diego Schwartzman.

Monaco hadn’t played a tournament since having right wrist surgery last August.

But Nadal wasn’t able to build much momentum against him.

Monaco earned the first break of the second set en route to a 3-1 lead, and after breaking back for 3-3, Nadal was in trouble again with two double faults to trail 15-30 in the ninth game.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2016