After winning his 20th career ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title in Monte Carlo, Rafael Nadal opened his Barcelona Open campaign with a straight sets victory over Guillermo Garcia-Lopez. Nadal won 6-1,6-2.
The 'king of clay' took only 81 minutes to beat his fellow countryman. The defending champion has now extended his winning streak to 30 in ATP World Tour 500 tournaments. Nadal is also a six-time champion at the event, winning the titles consecutively from 2005 till 2009 and then again in 2011. The Majorcan had won his first title in 10 months at Monte Carlo beating arch-rival Novak Djokovic.
His next opponent is qualifier Robert Farah, who progressed at the expense of Casablanca champion Pablo Andujar 7-6(8), 4-6, 7-5 in two hours and 49 minutes. Farah - ranked 246th in the won his first tour-level match when he beat Spanish lucky loser Arnau Brugues-Davi.
Janko Tipsarevic the World No.8 started his Barcelona campaign well as he defeated Romanian Victor Hanescu 7-5,6-4 in little more than an hour and a half. The Serb now faces Fredrico Gil for a place in the quarterfinal of the event. The Portuguese had progressed when he defeated fellow countryman Joao Sousa 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.