Nadal gets Buenos Aires invite

BUENOS AIRES — Rafael Nadal has had his request for a wildcard invitation to next week’s Argentina Open accepted as the Spaniard rejigs his schedule after his shock Australian Open exit. The world No. 5 lost in the first round of a Grand Slam for just the second time in his career to fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in Melbourne. After his unexpectedly early departure the 29-year-old travelled to Mallorca to start training for what could be a make or break year on clay, starting now with the defense of his title in Buenos Aires. “I want to thank the organizers of the Argentina Open for giving me this wild card to play in Buenos Aires,” he told the ATP website from Mallorca Monday. “The times that I’ve played in Argentina have been special and full of good memories because the people are some of the best in the world. “I asked for this wild card after the bad result in Melbourne and I hope that Buenos Aires will once again be the start of a good run for me. I will try my best to make sure it is.” Nadal strengthens the line-up in Argentina which already features world No. 5 David Ferrer, France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga the No. 9 and 12th ranked American John Isner. After last week’s loss Nadal’s coach and uncle Toni Nadal raised the possibility that the 14-time Grand Slam champion may seek a new or expanded coaching team in a bid to arrest his slide in form. “I understand that in sport results come first and if you have to make a change, you have to do it,” Toni Nadal told Spanish radio station Cadena Cope last Wednesday. “To lose so early in Australia is one of the biggest disappointments we have had because in the last four months we had been playing well. “I hope it is only a blip and we move forward.” Baghdatis advances In Montpellier, eighth-seeded Marcos Baghdatis advanced to the second round of the Open Sud de France Monday with a 7-5, 7-5 win over Lukas Lacko. Baghdatis hit nine aces and converted four of his eight break points to win his first match this season at the indoor tournament. Baghdatis said: “I don’t have many matches in my legs because I only played the Australian Open this year. Here I was lucky enough to get the wild card.” He will next play Taro Daniel, who beat Denis Istomin 6-2, 6-2. Also advancing to the second round was Alexander Zverev, who saved one match point to rally past Luca Vanni 6-7 (3), 6-4, 7-5. Next up against Zverev will be second-seeded Marin Cilic.