DOHA, Qatar — Rafael Nadal won his first match of the new season 6-7 (5) 6-3, 6-1 against Spanish countryman Pablo Carreno at the Qatar Open on Tuesday.
In the first-set tiebreaker, Nadal saved three set points, but lost the fourth on a Carreno forehand winner he could only watch go past.
Nadal took early control of the final two sets. He posted 30 winners and took advantage of five of nine break points in the two- hour match.
Earlier, Illya Marchenko of Ukraine upset defending champion and fourth-seeded David Ferrer 6-7 (8), 6-3, 6-2 for his first career top-10 victory.