However, after being broken twice to lose the first set to Verdasco, world number 10 Nadal hit back with a vengeance as he claimed a 3-6 6-1 6-1 win.
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Rafael Nadal had to recover from a set down against fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco before easing through to the second round of the bet-at-home Open in Hamburg.
The Spaniard has already been defeated 12 times this year, including just a second career loss at Roland Garros and a second round exit to German journeyman Dustin Brown at Wimbledon.
“I am very happy to be back in Hamburg, I haven’t been here since 2008 so it’s great to be back in such a nice city”. To be able to make that change during the match was a very positive thing to me.
“It’s a very important victory”, said Nadal. “I feel likely defeating Carlos Moya in 2003 was a very important match for me at the time but also I remember perfectly the match against Novak Djokovic in 2008 that was quite emotional”. “I look forward to this week”, Efe quoted world No. 10 Nadal as saying.
The 29-year-old is top seed at the Hamburg Open but his decision to play a European clay tournament with the US hardcourt season just around the corner has baffled many.
In his first appearance in Hamburg since hoisting the trophy in 2008, the Mallorcan improved his FedEx ATP Head2Head record over Verdasco to 14-2.
Verdasco managed to stave off a whitewash with an ace to hold at 1-5 before Nadal served out the set to love. Another break for Nadal put him two games away from levelling the match.
The effervescent Verdasco, 31, had won their last two clashes on the hard courts of Miami earlier this year and on clay in Madrid in 2012 and he came out firing on all cylinders to take the first set under the court’s canvas cover.
He will take on the victor of the match between Czech youngster Jiri Vesely and Andreas Haider-Maurer from Austria for a place in the quarter-finals.
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Second-seeded Tommy Robredo also needed three sets to advance, rallying for a 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-2 win over wild card entry Alexander Zverev.
