Nadal makes winning return after one month off

World number two Rafael Nadal bolted out of the blocks in his first match in six weeks, winning five games in 18 minutes Sunday on his way to a 6-1, 6-3 defeat of Leonardo Mayer.

Nadal showed top form in his 75-minute victory as the 10-time Grand Slam winner ended his February pause in dominating style.

“I’m very happy to be back in competition — that’s the first thing,” said the Spaniard, who has reached the semi-finals or better in his last six appearances at Indian Wells.

“I enjoy a lot playing this tournament. It’s nice to be back playing at the very good level, and winning is the most important thing. It’s not easy to be back after a while without competition, but I did, I
believe, really well. I started the match very focused, very aggressive.” Spanish fifth seed David Ferrer hammered Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-2; six-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga needed only moments for a 4-1 win as Michael Llodra quit with a knee injury.

Argentine ninth seed Juan Del Potro stayed healthy to post a 7-5, 6-2 win over Australian Marinko Matosevic for a place in the third round of an event that has become ground zero for a stomach virus epidemic.

Janko Tipsarevic beat Gilles Muller 6-4, 6-2 and Marcos Baghdatis, Cyprus, put out 15th seed Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-4.

With a viral epidemic raging in the area, it has been survival of the fittest on court.

Frenchman Gael Monfils and women’s ninth seed Vera Zvonareva were among at least eight player victims of the illness - which tournament officials were quick to say had nothing to do with their food service - withdrawing before his match with Nikolay Davyenko.

Both withdrew on Sunday, with the emotional Zvonareva reportedly seen crying over her plight.

The tournament scrambled to find a medical backup for their theory that the player canteen is not involved.

“There is currently a Coachella Valley-wide virus, which is resulting in symptoms of nausea and vomiting, fever and subsequent diarrhoea,” the local Eisenhower Medical Centre said. “It is self-limited and lasts between 24 and 48 hours. It is transmitted by air and direct contact and not passed via food.” On the women’s side, top seed Victoria Azarenka returned to smooth sailing after a struggle in her opening round, with the world number one defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1, 6-2.

But American Christina McHale ambushed an off-colour second seed Petra Kvitova with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 comeback.

Azaranka, who now stands 19-0 on the season with three titles, had a comfortable third-round win after a battle 48 hours earlier when she very nearly lost to German Mona Barthel.

“I really had to step it up from my last match. I’m glad I could perform much better than I did in my first match and show some good tennis,” said Azarenka.

China’s eighth seed Li Na beat compatriot Zheng Jie 6-1, 6-3 after a gap of six years since their last match, a title for Zheng in Estoril on clay.