Tennis: Nadal wins doubles debut at Brazil Open
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Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal (right), gestures during the doubles match with Argentinian David Nalbandian against Spanish Pablo Andujar and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, at the Brazil Open in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Tuesday, Feb 12, 2012. Nadal won his doubles opener on Tuesday at the Brazil Open, his second tournament after a long injury lay-off. -- PHOTO: AFP
SAO PAULO (AP) - Rafael Nadal won his doubles opener on Tuesday at the Brazil Open, his second tournament after a long injury lay-off.
Nadal teamed up with David Nalbandian of Argentina to beat Spaniards Pablo Andujar and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-3, 3-6, 11-9.
Earlier, fifth-seeded Thomaz Bellucci beat fellow-Brazilian Guilherme Clezar 7-6 (7/4), 5-7, 7-6 (7/1) on Tuesday in the first round of the singles.
In other first-round matches at the clay-court event, Argentina's Guido Pella topped sixth-seeded Fabio Fognini of Italy 7-6 (7/6), 1-6, 6-1, and eighth-seeded Albert Ramos beat Spanish compatriot Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-3, 7-5.
