Tennis

Nadal takes 1st step to win 4th major in a row

Published Jan. 18, 2011 2:38 a.m. ET

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Rafael Nadal has taken the first step to winning his fourth Grand Slam in a row, advancing to the second round when his Brazilian opponent, Marcos Daniel, retired with a left knee injury while trailing Nadal 6-0, 5-0 at the Australian Open.

The No. 1-ranked player is attempting to become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four Grand Slam trophies at once, although Laver did it by winning all four in the same calendar year - a true Grand Slam.

Nadal arrived last week with a cold, but appeared Tuesday to be over the effects of the illness he picked up in Qatar. Daniel retired 47 minutes into the match.

Nadal will next play either American qualifier Ryan Sweeting or fellow Spaniard Daniel Gimeno-Traver.

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