A break in the seventh game set up the world number 18, who later underlined his determination by winning a service game to love to take the set after 41 minutes.

The second set followed a similar pattern, Nalbandian again breaking his opponent to move 4-3 up and staying on top until sealing victory with a drop shot on the first match point.

Nalbandian goes on to meet another Spaniard in Carlos Moya , the 14th seed, with the winner of that match likely to face a third-round encounter with Federer.

Frenchman Gilles Simon beat Italian Potito Starace 6-3 3-6 6-3 in the only other first-round match scheduled on the opening day and will next face Spain's Tommy Robredo , seeded eighth.