Nadal Prevails In First-Round Challenge

© Getty ImagesRafael Nadal has now won 15 straight Grand Slam matches.

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal was unable to break 93rd-ranked Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili through the first two hours and 45 minutes of his first-round match Tuesday night at the US Open, but won the final four games to clinch a 7-6(4), 7-6(4), 6-3 victory.

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Gabashvili had stunned one Top 10 player in Grand Slam action this year, knocking out No. 8 Andy Roddick in the third round of Roland Garros, and looked up to the task on Monday night. He pushed Nadal to tie-breaks in the first two sets, and fought off the first seven break points faced.

After saving two of those break points down 15/40 in the seventh game of the third set, Gabashvili was unable to save a third as he netted a return. The top-seeded Nadal closed out the victory with another break of serve.

"Very tough match tonight," said Nadal, who had made his way comfortably past the Russian in their previous two encounters. "My serve worked well and I hope to continue like this. It's not my best shot, but I always work hard at improving it. If I am to have chances to win here one day, I need to serve well."

Nadal, 24, is looking to become the youngest player to complete the career Grand Slam by winning the US Open title over this next fortnight. The reigning Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion is a two-time semi-finalist at Flushing Meadows, losing to Andy Murray in 2008 and to eventual champion Juan Martin del Potro last year.

He next meets Uzbekistani Denis Istomin, who reached his first ATP World Tour final last week in New Haven (l. to Stakhovsky). Istomin defeated Argentine Maximo Gonzalez 7-5, 7-5, 6-1.

Spaniards enjoyed a solid showing on Day 2 at the US Open, with six of the seven in action winning their first round matches. In addition to Nadal, No. 8 Fernando Verdasco, No. 10 David Ferrer, No. 23 Feliciano Lopez, Tommy Robredo and Daniel Gimeno-Traver all advanced.

Verdasco, the No. 2 Spaniard behind Nadal, worked hardest for his victory Tuesday as he toiled for three hours and 20 minutes against Italian Fabio Fognini before prevailing 1-6, 7-5, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3. Fognini was attempting to upset Verdasco for the second straight Grand Slam tournament, having defeated the Spaniard in the first round of Wimbledon.

Pere Riba was the lone Spaniard to bow out Tuesday, coming up just short against Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(1). Both players were making their US Open debuts.