Classy Nadal surges past Kendrick

MELBOURNE, Jan 16 (Reuters) Second seed Rafael Nadal made light of the searing heat to crush American Robert Kendrick 7-6 6-3 6-2 in the Australian Open first round today.

The 20-year-old Spaniard had to work hard to come from behind and win a tight first-set tiebreak 8-6 but he then turned on the power to overwhelm the world number 90 on Rod Laver Arena.

Nadal, who missed last year's Australian Open through injury, broke Kendrick's serve in the opening game of the third set and clinched victory when his opponent netted a simple backhand.

''It is a good start for me,'' Nadal told a news conference. ''I had a very difficult first set and it was important for me to win the tiebreak. After that the match changed and it was easy.'' The 27-year-old Kendrick was two points away from beating Nadal in the second round at Wimbledon last year.

''Wimbledon was a great match but today it was unbelievably hot and the court was a bit slower so the conditions were better for me,'' Nadal said. ''Today I played a serious match so that's enough.'' The match was played under the closed roof of the showpiece court while matches on outside courts were suspended due to punishing 39 degree heat.

Nadal said he had no problem with the thigh injury that forced him to pull out of the Sydney International last week.

''I didn't feel anything so I am 100 percent fine,'' he said.

REUTERS PM BD1251