He accompanied the celebratory gesture with a skip in his step and then hit the accelerator, holding every service game to beat Dudi Sela 6-3, 6-4. Thus began Nadal's latest bid to win Key Biscayne. 11-seeded Venus Williams, whose third and most recent Key Biscayne title came in 2001, won her opening match against Beatriz Haddad Maia, 6-4, 6-3. Making Nadal's title bid easier will be the absence of six-time champion Djokovic and two-time champion Andy Murray, both out with elbow injuries. 2 Kei Nishikori beat Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-3.

Source: ABC News March 24, 2017 20:18 UTC