Rafael Nadal started his 2020 season with a 6-3 7-5 win over Nikoloz Basilashvili after 1 hour and 50 minutes at the ATP Cup in Perth.
Basilashvili earned an early break at 15 with a volley winner in the opening game. Nadal broke straight back after Basilashvili wasted game points in his opening service game. Nadal earned a break in the eighth game with a forehand winner before closing out the opening set with a hold at love. The 19-time Grand Slam champion got two consecutive breaks in the fifth and seventh games to build up a 6-3 5-2 lead. Basilashvili pulled one break back with a forehand winner. The Georgian player earned another break in the tenth game, when Nadal made a forehand error. Nadal broke serve in the 11th game and held at 15 a few minutes later to seal the win.
“It has been positive victory for me and the team. I had the match under control. Obviously, he played some good games. I made a couple of mistakes, then the match became more difficult. That is it”,said Nadal.
In the first singles match Roberto Bautista Agut cruised past Aleksandre Metreveli 6-0 6-0 in just 72 minutes. Bautista Agut saved the only break point he faced and converted 6 of his 14 break points.
Bautista Agut went up a double break to open up a 4-0 lead and sealed the first set with a bagel in the sixth game with a forehand crosscourt winner. Nadal saved a break point with a service winner at the start of the second set before breaking serve in the second game. Bautista Agut closed out the match with a break at 5-0 with a double fault from Metreveli.
Pablo Carreno Busta and Feliciano Lopez teamed up to beat Aleksandre Bakshi and George Tsivadze 6-3 6-4 in the doubles match.
“It’s amazing to start 3-0. Roberto played a great match. Even if it looks an easy match, the result was much difficult than what it was. He made very few mistakes. Then Rafah ad the chance against a very tough opponent like Basilashvili, who always kills the ball. After six games he was in control of the game”, said Spanish captain Francisco Roig.
