Doha, Qatar (SportsNetwork.com) - World No. 1 superstar Rafael Nadal won, while two-time champion Andy Murray, playing his first match in three-and-a- half months, returned a winner Tuesday at the $1 million Qatar Open.
The U.S. and French Open titlist Nadal beat Czech Lukas Rosol 6-2, 7-6 (9-7), as the Spaniard avenged a stunning second-round loss at the hands of the big- serving Czech two seasons ago at Wimbledon in what was one of the biggest upsets in Grand Slam history.
The 2010 Doha runner-up Nadal will meet German Tobias Kamke in the second round on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the third-seeded Murray double-bageled helpless Qatari wild card Mousa Shanan Zayed 6-0, 6-0 in a laughable 37-minute affair on the hardcourts at Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex.
The Wimbledon titlist and 2008 and 2009 Doha winner Murray underwent minor back surgery and hadn't played anywhere since mid-September. His second-round opponent on Wednesday will be capable German Florian Mayer.
Fifth-seeded and defending Doha champion Richard Gasquet reached the round of 16 by defeating Egyptian wild card Karim Hossam 7-5, 6-1. Gasquet's next opponent will be two-time Doha finalist and fellow Frenchman Gael Monfils.
Also, second-seeded French Open runner-up David Ferrer got past Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, sixth-seeded German Philipp Kohlschreiber doused Spaniard Pablo Andujar 7-6 (9-7), 6-2, and seventh-seeded Latvian Ernests Gulbis held off British qualifier Daniel Evans 6-2, 4-6, 6-0.
Additional opening-round wins came for a bevy of Germans -- Mayer, Peter Gojowczyk, qualifier Dustin Brown, and Daniel Brands, who topped Russian Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 6-4 at this Australian Open tune-up. Davydenko was last year's Doha runner-up to Gasquet, titled here in 2010, and was also a runner- up in 2011.
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