Rafael Nadal beats Joao Souza at Brazil Open

Rafael Nadal beat world number 140 Joao Souza in straight sets at the Brazil Open as he continued his comeback from a serious knee injury.

The Spaniard, 26, won 6-3 6-4 in his opening singles match in Sao Paulo, having played one doubles match before withdrawing to protect his knee.
Nadal had few problems seeing off Souza, and the 11-time Grand Slam champion will next face Carlos Berlocq.

Nadal injury timeline

28 June, 2012: Nadal loses to Lukas Rosol in second round of Wimbledon
14 July: Pulls out of an exhibition match with Novak Djokovic because of tendonitis
19 July: Withdraws from the Olympics with tendonitis in left knee
15 August: Withdraws from the US Open
3 September: Announces he has a partially torn patella tendon
25 October: Confirms he will not play in the Paris Masters or ATP World Tour Finals
20 November: Practises on court for the first time in Majorca
25 December: Pulls out of the Abu Dhabi exhibition with a stomach virus
28 December: Withdraws from the Australian Open because of the virus
5 February, 2013: Nadal returns alongside Juan Monaco in the Vina del Mar doubles before playing his first singles match 24 hours later

Nadal came through three singles matches before losing to Argentina's Horacio Zeballos, the world number 73, in Sunday's final.
He was still well short of his best against Souza in front of a packed crowd in Sao Paulo, but when he came under pressure early in the second set, Nadal saw off the break point with a first serve.


 Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/21468152