World No 2 Rafael Nadal looks strong in opening Acapulco win
Wednesday 27 February 2019 10:34, UK
Britain's Johanna Konta raced to a first-round win at the Mexico Open, prevailing in straight sets against doubles partner Laura Siegemund.
The 27-year-old, ranked 45 in the world and seeded eight in Acapulco, needed just an hour and 11 minutes on court to triumph 6-3 6-2.
She took an immediate break of serve in the opening set and broke twice in the second before sealing the win on her first match point.
Konta won 82 per cent of points on her first serve and did not face a single break point.
Fellow Briton Cameron Norrie also progressed in Acapulco, beating Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka.
Norrie, the world number 64, kept his nerve to clinch a 6-2 2-6 6-2 win in two hours and 18 minutes.
The pair traded breaks of serve throughout the match, but after taking the break at 4-2 of the decider, Norrie held on to the momentum and claimed victory two games later.
He will now face Argentina's Diego Schwartzman, the number four seed, in the second round.
Rafael Nadal showed no signs of rust in his first action in a month as the top seed easily dispatched Mischa Zverev 6-3 6-3.
Nadal, competing for the first time since falling to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final, has reached the final in all three previous appearances in Acapulco and now has a record of 15-1 in the event.
The world No 2 faces Nick Kyrgios in the round of 16 after the Australian defeated Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-3 7-5.
Second seed Alexander Zverev lost just one point on serve in a dominant 6-3 6-3 win over Alexei Popyrin while John Isner, seeded third, recorded 18 aces in a 6-3 4-6 6-3 win over Frances Adrian Mannarino.
Isner next faces fellow American Sam Querrey, who beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-3 6-2.
Top seed Sloane Stephens made a winning start as she cruised past Pauline Parmentier in straight sets in Mexico.
The 2016 champion dropped just four games to record a 6-2 6-2 victory in an hour and nine minutes.
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