Novak Djokovic has made a winning return nearly a month after suffering a wrist injury, starting the Rome Masters with a 6-3 7-5 defeat of Radek Stepanek.
The second-round victory after a bye was the first match for the world number two Serb since losing a Monte Carlo semi-final on April 19 to Roger Federer while suffering with his right wrist problem.
Djokovic, a two-time champion at the Foro Italico, was to have played last week in Madrid but held off. He won in Rome with new coach Boris Becker looking on.
The Serb, who is competing in Rome for an eighth straight year, won his 25th match here against five defeats. Three of his losses have come against Nadal, the top seed bidding for an eighth trophy in the capital.
The end against Stepanek was a struggle, comprising four consecutive breaks of serve before Djokovic took victory with a service return winner out wide after 97 minutes.
Roger Federer will be back on court eight days after the birth of his twin boys Leo and Lenny as he competes due to some fortunate timing in the birth of his second set of twins.
“Since they were born last Tuesday, that gave me a better chance of playing Rome,” said the Monte Carlo finalist, who plays on Wednesday against France’s Jeremy Chardy. “I didn’t want too much of a break.
“It doesn’t matter if I play five matches or one match here. As long as I feel the pulse of things on the tour.
“Of course I hope to win my first-round match, but at the moment I have totally different priorities.”
Federer has lost three Rome finals, all three to Spanirds and the last two two (2006, 2013) to Nadal.
The top-seeded Spaniard is preparing to face one of the biggest annual changes on the clay when he starts three days after winning another Madrid title.