Rafael Nadal won his first singles match since destroying Roger Federer in the French Open final as the Spaniard advanced to the third round at Queen's Club on Wednesday.

Nadal was back in action just three days after his astonishing three-set rout of world number one Federer in Paris, but there was no hangover as Jonas Bjorkman was put to the sword 6-2, 6-2.

This was the perfect way for Nadal to mark the start of his campaign to unseat Federer as the Wimbledon champion. His dominance over the Swiss on clay is unquestioned, but successive final defeats to Federer at the All-England Club are a constant regret for such a fierce competitor.

Bjorkman is a seasoned grass court campaigner but he was no match for Nadal's potent mix of power and poise from the baseline.

Nadal was quick to impose his will on Bjorkman by breaking the veteran Swede in a long third game. There was no way back for Bjorkman after that.

The world number two eased through for the loss of just four games and is already looking in ominious form. Kei Nishikori, his next opponent, has been warned.

Nadal said: "On the first day on grass the sensation is a little bit strange. Mentally it's tough. The movements are so different and the feeling when you're touching the ball.

"But the important thing is have a lot of time on court. It's a good day because I have won my first match."

Japanese teenager Nishikori continued his dream debut at Queen's with a 7-6 (10/8), 6-3 win over unseeded Frenchman Olivier Patience.

Lleyton Hewitt kept up his challenge for a record fifth Queen's title as the Australian moved into the third round with a 6-3, 6-2 win against Xavier Malisse.

Hewitt admits the lure of success during the brief grass-court season has convinced him to play through the pain of a hip injury that has troubled him for several weeks.

So the 2002 Wimbledon champion will be pleased with the ease that he brushed aside Malisse to set up a clash with French seventh seed Paul-Henri Mathieu.

Hewitt was never troubled after taking an early break in the first set. He shattered Malisee's morale when he broke again at the start of the second set and was soon walking off court a winner.

Andy Roddick, the other man chasing five Queen's titles, recovered from a slow start to get his bid up and running with a 6-7 (6/8), 6-1, 6-1 victory over Robby Ginepri.

Roddick, the reigning Queen's champion, was back in action for the first time since suffering a shoulder injury in Rome five weeks ago and he showed a few signs of rust early on in the second round tie.

The American third seed eventually found his form after dropping the first set. He won 12 of the next 14 games to take the match in three sets.

Roddick will play compatriot Mardy Fish, the 15th seed, who beat Australia's Chris Guccione 4-6, 7-6 (7/0), 6-4.

Novak Djokovic, seeded second, won a slug-fest against Roko Karanusic 6-2, 7-6 (9/7).

The Australian Open champion stormed through the first set but had to save two set points in the second before eventually edging the tie-break.

"I always look forward to playing on grass because we don't get many chances and it's much slower this year which suits my game," Djokovic said.

He next plays Janko Tiparevic, who came from a set down to beat Ivo Minar 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

David Nalbandian defeated Viktor Troicki 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) and the Argentine fourth seed's next opponent is Nicolas Mahut, last year's runner-up, who saw off giant American John Isner 7-5, 6-4.

French fifth seed Richard Gasquet returned to action after a knee injury with a routine 6-3, 6-3 win over Italy's Simone Bolelli and now faces Croatia's Mario Ancic.

Fernando Gonzalez, the Chilean 10th seed, beat former world number one Marat Safin 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) to earn a meeting with big-serving Croat Ivo Karlovic.

Latvian teenager Ernests Gulbis out-lasted 12th seed Andreas Seppi 6-3, 6-7 (7/9), 6-3 to set up a clash against British number one Andy Murray.

AFP