Rafael Nadal was made to sweat without ever looking in serious danger as the world No. 1 marked his Japan Open debut with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Santiago Giraldo on Tuesday.
Nadal came into the Tokyo tournament looking to bounce back from a semifinal exit at the Thailand Open last weekend, and a match against world No. 63 Giraldo — with no career titles to his name — looked like the perfect opportunity.
But the Colombian proved a tough nut to crack in a spirited showing at Ariake Colosseum, succumbing only to one break in each set over 1 hour, 49 minutes as Nadal struggled to shake off the effects of his busy schedule.