Nadal sails through knee test to advance at Indian Wells

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INDIAN WELLS - Rafael Nadal made a confident start to his Indian Wells Masters title defence as the Spaniard returned to the courts after six weeks’ break owing to a knee injury.

The third-seed Nadal beat German veteran Rainer Schuettler 6-4, 6-4 in just over 90 minutes, a reassuring workout for the knee that forced him to quit Australian Open quarter-final against Andy Murray in January.

Nadal’s win was his fifth out of six meetings with Schuettler, with the Spaniard reaching the third round in windy conditions here Saturday.

“When I went to practise in the morning (it) was perfect conditions,” said Nadal. “When I went on court, the weather completely changed. It was difficult to adapt.

“I started the match playing well. With the wind behind me, it was very difficult on the backhand. If I only touch the ball, it went out.

“But it was a good start with the conditions for me. I’m very happy.”

Nadal next faces Croatian Mario Ancic, whose comeback from glandular fever continued with a defeat of Frenchman Julien Benneteau 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-3.

Second-seeded Novak Djokovic, fresh from a Dubai title and a Serbian first-round Davis Cup win, needed to get through a roller-coaster win.

The Serb second seed defeated American Mardy Fish in a replay of their 2008 final, earning a 6-1, 0-6, 6-2 result.

No. 5 Nikolay Davydenko showed a recovery from the wrist injury that kept him from Davis Cup, defeating Delray Beach champion Ernests Gulbis of Latvia 6-4, 6-4.

The run of form from Croatian Marin Cilic was halted as the eighth seed fell to Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 7-6 (7-1), 6-0.

Tenth seed Fernando Verdasco of Spain, who won the San Jose title last month, began his campaign with a defeat of Ramon Delgado 6-4, 6-1.

Spain’s 11th seed Juan Carlos Ferrero, winner of two titles in the past month, crushed Austrian Daniel Koellerer 6-3, 6-0 in just 50 minutes.

In women’s play, top seed Svetlana Kuznetsova suffered an opening-match loss for the second straight year, with the Russian falling to Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.

The second-round upset took just under two hours, with two-time finalist Kuznetsova losing the last six points in a frustrating display.

“I feel like I’m fighting against myself, this is what I don’t like,” said Kuznetsova. “It’s frustrating, because I know I have the game.

“I feel great, I practise, play unbelievable, and then get to the match and I don’t do much. I just need more matches, that’s it.”

Kuznetsova’s best result in 2010 is the fourth round of the Australian Open, while number 42 Suarez Navarro reached the semi-finals in Acapulco.

Reigning French Open champion Kuznetsova never found the game that has taken her to a pair of Grand Slam titles, striking seven double-faults and losing serve six times.

There was better luck for other women’s seeds at the joint ATP-WTA event in the desert.

No. 3 Ukrainian Victoria Azarenka overwhelmed Austrian Sybille Bammer 6-1, 7-5, while sixth-seeded former number one Jelena Jankovic beat Croatian Petra Martic 6-3, 7-6 (7-2)

Eighth seed Samantha Stosur of Australia took down Julie Coin of France 6-1, 7-6 (7-4); Italian ninth seed Flavia Pennetta put out Czech Petra Kvitova 6-3, 6-3.

“I felt pretty good today,” said Azarenka, who will be defending the Miami title later in the month. “The first match, especially here, is always tough. But overall, I think it was a good match. Sybille is a good player, so I’m happy with my performance.”