Andújar, first stone on the road to Nadal in Acapulco

The Balearic won the tournament in 2005 and 2013, abandoned due to injury in 2017, fell to Sam Querrey in the final of 2018 and in the second round last year, against Nick Kyrgios

Rafael Nadal will debut before Pablo Andújar, 59 of the world, in the first round of the Mexican Tennis Open, ATP 500 tournament, which will begin this Monday in Acapulco. The duel will mark the start of Manacor in a tournament he won in 2005 and 2013 in which he now hopes to reign after an injury abandonment in 2017, to lose to the American Sam Querrey the final of 2018 and falling into the round of 16 last year against the Australian Nick Kyrgios.

Nadal has three victories in the same number of appearances against Andújar. The last time they met was in Rio de Janeiro in 2014. If he meets the forecasts, he will go in the second round against the winner between Australian Alex de Minaur and Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic. On the same side of the picture are the Serbian Dusan Lajovic, the Swiss Stan Wawrinka and the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov.

Nadal is in Acapulco with the purpose of winning the title to recover the number one and face as the best player in the world the 1,000 Masters of Indian Wells and Miami.

The German Alexander Zverev, second head of series, will debut against the Australian Jordan Thompson and to reach the final could meet the American John isner, fifth favorite, the Canadian Felix Auger Aliassime (4) and the Australian Nick Kyrgios (6).