• ATP Tour

Nadal back on track in Tokyo

Rafael Nadal will meet Milos Raonic in the next round © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Roddick outgunned in Tokyo
  
• News: Del Potro crashes out in Tokyo
  
• News: Nadal defeated despite creating 26 break points
  
• Profile: Guillermo Garcia-Lopez | Richard Gasquet | Michael Llodra | Rafael Nadal

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal returned to winning ways in Tokyo as he bullied his way into the second round with a straight-sets victory over Santiago Giraldo at the Japan Open.

Nadal, who was stunned by eventual champion Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the semi-finals of the Thailand Open last week, claimed a single break in the fifth game of each set to record a 6-4 6-4 victory.

Nadal, whose relentless pressure exploited chinks in the Colombian's game, will now meet Canadian qualifier Milos Raonic for a place in the quarter-finals after the world No. 200 stunned Florent Serra 6-4 3-6 6-4.

Raonic, who moved into the world's top 200 on Monday after he reached the quarter-finals at the Malaysia Open last week, continued his impressive run of form to earn himself a first encounter against the world No. 1.

Defending champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga looked decidedly rusty as he was outlasted by Jarkko Nieminen 6-4 5-7 6-1. Tsonga, playing his first competitive match since sustaining a knee injury in July, served 14 aces but the third seed was made to pay for lack of match practice by the Finnish world No. 48.

Meanwhile, second seed Andy Roddick extended his impressive hard-court record to 35 wins from 43 matches as he eased past home favourite Tatsuma Ito 6-4 6-3. Roddick will now face Jeremy Chardy in the second round after the world No. 60 fired 11 aces past fellow Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin in a 6-3 7-6(2) win.

Elsewhere, there were wins for French duo Richard Gasquet, and Gael Monfils, but eighth seed Michael Llodra was beaten 6-3 6-0 by Marco Chiudinelli.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.