Shanghai, Nov 11 (Xinhua) Spain delivered an opening-day double as Rafael Nadal and debutant David Ferrer chalked up victories Sunday at the season-ending ATP Masters Cup.
Nadal overcame early nerves to kick-start his campaign 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 over Richard Gasquet in Gold group round-robin competition, while Ferrer came good in his first outing at the year-end extravaganza, stunning world number three Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-4 winning on his second match point.
Nadal kept his career record a perfect 4-0 over Gasquet in a battle between 21-year-olds lasting just over two hours.
“I was a little bit nervous in the beginning,” said the three-time Roland Garros champion. “I started with a few doubts.
“But I began to play a little bit more aggressive. The break early in the second set was important.
“I finished better than I started,” he said.
Nadal showed no signs of the knee tendinitis that had plagued him over the late summer and autumn as he took the first round-robin victory in the Gold group.
“Everything is perfect,” he said of his fitness.
The Spaniard, who will become the first since rankings began in 1973 to finish number two for three consecutive years behind Roger Federer, produced a torrid final-set effort, winning 15 of 17 points on serve.
Nadal struck 29 winners and only 20 unforced errors as he resumed his grip on Gasquet’s game.
“He wasn’t playing incredible, but he’s a fighter,” said the Frenchman who only qualified into the eight-man Shanghai field a week ago in Paris.
“I missed some shots – when you do that against him, the set is finished. I would have had to play a perfect match to beat him.”
Nadal, who first qualified for the elite season-ending event in 2005 but had to withdraw before his first match due to an injury, lost a Shanghai semi-final in 2006 to Federer.
“This year I got closer to him,” Nadal said of his long time runner-up status to the Swiss. “But ‘closer’ means 995 ranking points.
“That’s not very close, that’s a lot of points.”
Federer begins his campaign for a fourth year-end title from the past five editions Monday when he carries a 10-0 record over Fernando Gonzalez into their opening match in the Red group.