Rafael Nadal overcame a tricky start to defeat John Isner 6-3 6-1 and set up a last 16 clash with Denis Shapovalov in Rome.
The 21-time grand slam opened his Rome campaign with a straight sets win over the big-serving American.
Isner tested Nadal in the seventh game as the Spaniard was still finding his confidence after just coming back from injury.
However the American couldn’t convert his chances and Nadal pounced to break on three occasions, producing a clinical display, to book his place in the third round.
After the match Nadal wasn’t too happy about his slow start but was satisfied with his response, “I finished better than how I started, without a doubt,” the defending champion told the ATP website.
“The beginning of the match was not good for me. He had some chances on the return and had two break points. [He had] two not difficult balls so I was in his hands at that moment. I was lucky that he missed those shots and then I was able to break. Then the match changed, of course. With the first set on the board, and having the break in the first game of the second [set], everything changed.
“I just focussed on myself. I focussed on trying to keep going. I knew I had to do things better than I had done, and I need to practise to try and do it better and better.”
It was important for Nadal to win after losing to eventual Madrid champion Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals last week.
Next for Nadal will be Denis Shapovalov who he played at this stage last year where the Spaniard came out on top in a last set tiebreak.
The world number four admitted that he was lucky last year and will need to raise his level on Thursday, “Last year was a joke, the match that I saved here against him,” Nadal explained.
“[I was] super lucky. I know how dangerous he is, I need to play well, of course. I need to play better than today, but after a while without being on court it is another victory and I have the chance again to play against one of the best players in the world.
“I need to build things again after a tough stoppage and that’s what I am trying now. I just need to stay with the right attitude, and let’s see if I am able to make that happen.”
Nadal leads the head-to-head 4-1 heading into Thursday’s clash.
