After Melbourne and Paris, Rafael Nadal also began the assault on New York.
He did leave the first set to Australian wild card Rinky Hijikata, but then he adjusted his shot and won in four sets, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3.
Rafa didn't play one hundred percent, but he doesn't make a big deal out of it.
It's all part of a necessary path to get back to the top after a stop, which will also pass from tomorrow's match against Fabio Fognini.
"It was a difficult debut: I didn't have a bad start, but then I didn't take advantage of a few opportunities in the first set - Nadal commented - and I got a little nervous. But it was my first meeting in New York after three years, in the evening session (it was night in Italy ed). I didn't serve as well as I could, then the situation improved and I played better. It wasn't the perfect match, but I'm happy. It was only my second match in 50 days, so in a certain sense I couldn't expect to play at my best. The important thing was to win and I did it. "
"It is true - added the Spaniard -, we are at the end of August and I have not yet lost a match in the Grand Slam tournaments. But I have not won all three, only two. From my point of view, a retirement is more painful of a defeat.