"Was a good start for me," said Nadal. "Playing against Dent is always a difficult match because you don't have rhythm.

"I have my chances on the return, small ones, only few ones, and I did. So I'm happy for that with my victory. 6-4, 6-3 is a comfortable win against a difficult opponent."

World No. 4 Rafael Nadal opened his 2010 Sony Ericsson Open campaign on Friday night with a 6-4 6-3 win over Taylor Dent.

Playing Dent for the first time, the former World No. 1 won all four break points he held on the American's serve, which also delivered six aces and six double faults. By comparison Nadal's serving stats were less dramatic, serving only two aces and no double faults.

"Was a good start for me," said Nadal. "Playing against Dent is always a difficult match because you don't have rhythm.

"I have my chances on the return, small ones, only few ones, and I did. So I'm happy for that with my victory. 6-4, 6-3 is a comfortable win against a difficult opponent."

Nadal, beaten in the BNP Paribas Open semi-finals last week in Indian Wells (l. to Ljubicic) and in the 2009 Miami quarter-finals (l. to del Potro) - coincidentally, both times in third-set tie-breaks - needed 70 minutes to fend of Dent's challenge.

Nadal is seeking his first singles title since early May 2009 (Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome), having gone winless in his last 12 Tour events.

The Spaniard's best results in Miami have been a pair of runner-up finishes, in 2005 (l. to Federer in five sets) and 2008 (l. to Davydenko).

ATP