Rafael Nadal dropped his serve 3 times in the opening set losing it 2-6 but fought back to win the next three 6-4 6-1 6-1 against Fognini.
It was a dramatic match in many ways for Nadal who looked very distraught to start to match. Things back at home are not that good with his wife in hospital due to a medical scare. It's even more problematic because she's pregnant with some suggesting Nadal might even abandon the event if something else happens.
Even so, Nadal was able to find his game in the second set and he never really look back:
"One of the worst starts, probably ever. But that’s part of the game. You need to stay humble, you need to accept the situation. It hasn’t been an easy month for me, so I know this kind of stuff can happen. It’s another opportunity for me. I’m still alive after a match like this. That means a lot.”
Nadal bloodied himself in the 4th set when on a backhand his racquet bounced and hit him in the nose. He was taped up by the physio and continued but remarked:
“Well, yeah, just a little bit dizzy at the beginning, a little bit painful. [I’ve done it before] with a golf club, but not with a tennis racket.”