AFP, Acapulco :
Rafael Nadal made a triumphant return to the ATP Tour on Tuesday, winning his first tournament match since capturing the Australian Open title to reach the second round of the Mexican Open.
The 35-year-old Spanish left-hander defeated US lucky loser Dennis Kudla 6- 3, 6-2 to book a date with another American who advanced in similar fashion, Nadal practice partner Stefan Kozlov, in the last 16.
Nadal won his men’s record 21st Grand Slam title at last month’s Australian Open, breaking the career mark he had shared with Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.
World number five Nadal broke 100th-ranked Kudla in the fourth game for a 3-1 lead and held from there to claim the first set of their first career meeting.
