Rafael Nadal returned to winning ways just a fortnight after being diagnosed with appendicitis.
Despite
a visit to hospital and being prescribed a course of antibiotics, world
number three Nadal still played in the Shanghai Masters earlier this
month, only to lose to Spanish compatriot Feliciano Lopez.
Nadal,
who is hoping to delay surgery until after the ATP World Tour Finals at
The O2 in London next month, had expressed his fears regarding his
health at entering this week's event in Basle, the Swiss Indoors.
Rafael Nadal defeated Simone Bolelli in straight sets in the first round of the Swiss Indoors in Basle
The former World No 1 was featuring in his first event since losing while playing with appendicitis in Shangai
But
the 28-year-old, seeded number two behind home favourite Roger Federer,
was clinical in disposing of Italy's Simone Bolleli 6-2 6-2.
Nadal broke twice in each set and won 81 per cent of his first-serve points to clinch victory in an hour.
Nadal will now face French qualifier Pierre-Hugues Herbert in round two after the world number 120 caused an upset.
Herbert
beat compatriot Edouard Roger-Vasselin, ranked 56 places ahead of him,
6-3 6-7 (5/7) 7-6 (7/3) in a match lasting two hours and 20 minutes.
Nadal is set to decide whether he will play in the ATP World Tour Finals after this tournament
Nadal had too much quality for Bolelli (above) and will play the winner of Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Edouard Roger-Vasselin next
The Spaniard wipes his body down after securing a 6-2, 6-2 victory
In
the opening match of the tournament, Donald Young defeated Carlos
Berlocq from Argentina 7-6 (7/5) 6-4 and will now face either fellow
American Steve Johnson or number four seed Milos Raonic.
In the day's other first-round game, Belgian number seven seed David Goffin beat Austria's Dominic Thiem 7-6 (7/4) 6-3.
Five-times
champion Federer begins his bid for a sixth title on Wednesday with a
clash with Luxembourg's Gilles Muller, a man he has beaten in all four
meetings to date.
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