Like fellow world No. 1 Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal left the Australian Open in a mood much darker than when he arrived.  Nadal looked destined to capture his second title there and 14th major overall when he dropped just one set in hsi first six matches.  But a courageous Stanislas Wawrinka and a painful back injury stopped the victory parade before it started.  

The rueful runner-up in Melbourne must have eagerly awaited his return to the surface that he has dominated more than any player before.  Nadal's injury proved less serious than his fans had feared, and his journey to South American clay unfolded only a week behind schedule.  Withdrawing from Buenos Aires, the eight-time Roland Garros champion returned to the court in Rio de Janeiro.  This ATP 500 event, held in the city that will host the 2016 Olympics, offered him a comfortable setting to recapture his rhythm.

Surrounded by fellow clay-courters, many of them fellow Spaniards, Nadal saw none of his archrivals in the Rio field..  The world No. 1 began his title quest against Daniel Gimeno-Traver, a compatriot ranked at the edge of the top 100.  Gimeno-Traver had won just two games in their only previous meeting, also on clay.  He would muster a much stronger effort this time, but Nadal's depth and weight of shot wore him down in baseline exchanges.  Although Nadal located fewer of his first serves than he would have hoped, he protected his second serve especially well and surrendered only one break in the 6-3 7-5 victory.  

It was nothing spectacular from a man who can make the spectacular seem ordinary, but it was more than good enough to avoid any drama.  The same could not be said of John Isner's return from an ankle injury at Delray Beach.  Just as Nadal had won a small January title before falling victim to injury in Melbourne, Isner had claimed the tournament in Auckland before retiring in the first round of the Australian Open.  He also enjoyed the luxury of returning in a comfortable environment for him.  While Nadal always has produced his finest form on clay, Isner shines most brightly on the outdoor hard courts of the United States.

Shine he did not in the first set against Michael Russell, who had reached the semifinals in Memphis last week.  Although Russell had lost all three of their previous matches, he brought the confidence of his recent success to the task of overcoming a man 14 inches taller than him.  For his part, Isner spent much of the first two sets struggling to complement his serve with a consistent ground game.  His main weapon did not desert him, for he pounded 20 aces past his small opponent.  But routine forehand errors and sluggish movement brought the American No. 1 to the brink of a straight-sets loss.

The match turned in the second-set tiebreak, a more familiar situation for Isner than most players.  His extensive experience in tiebreaks probably aided his poise, whereas Russell's nerves may have jangled as he neared the upset.  Easing through the tiebreak 7-3, Isner collected the one break that he needed in the third set to complete the comeback.  Now 4-0 against his countryman, Isner survived to fight another day  

In the first match after returning from injury, that is all that Nadal or Isner could ask of themselves.