Rusty Rafael Nadal Sees Off Wawrinka

Rafael Nadal returned to action for the first time since his triumph at Wimbledon as he faced Stanislas Wawrinka in his opening match at the Toronto Masters.

The Spanaird has enjoyed major success at the Masters tournaments so far this year, winning the last three, but is looking for his first title on the hard courts in 2010.

But the world number one wasn't to have everything his own way as Wawrinka put up some stiff resistance in the opening set, a set that was to last ninety minutes.

It was an error strew for set from the Spaniard, an unusual twenty seven unforced errors, but he struck first in the fifth game to break the Swiss number two and open up a 3-2 lead.

But Wawrinka showed his fighting qualities to break straight back and level the set at 3-3. And the first set point fell to Wawrinka at 5-3, Nadal was serving to stay in the set, but he was unable to convert and Nadal pulled level once again.

Still locked together at 6-6 the opener went into a tie break and Wawrinka battled back from 2-3 down to lead 5-3 as the momentum swung back and forth between the two players.

During the tie break Wawrinka wasted four set point chances and it took Nadal four chances to finally clinch the opener 14-12, the longest tie break of the Spaniard's career.

Nadal broke early in the second set to lead 3-1 and Wawrinka could never get back on level terms as the world number one wrapped up an enthralling 7-6 (14-12) 6-3 win over the Swiss.

Speaking to ATP Nadal said: "It’s never fun to play tie-breaks like this because lots of pressure in every point. But if you win, it gives you a lot of confidence, so always important win tie-breaks. 

"I have a little bit of everything today being the first match after a while without competing. I had difficult moments. I had moments that I played well. I played more aggressive in the second set on the return. So I did a little bit of everything, and that's very positive."

Rafa will now face qualifier Kevin Anderson in the third round as the South African completed a shock win over the big hitting American Sam Querrey.

Anderson too the first set on a tie break before the sixteen seed hit back in the second to level the match. But Anderson held his nerve and a 7-5 (7-4) 4-6 6-4 win has earnt him a clash with the world number one.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw