INDIAN WELLS, Calif., March 10 (UPI) -- Leonardo Mayer won a three-set battle with Alejandro Falla Friday to earn a matchup with No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal at the BNP Paribas Open.
The opening round of the Masters series event was concluded with Mayer outlasting Falla 2-6, 7-6 (9-7), 6-4.
Mayer and Nadal will meet in the second round Sunday after Nadal, like all 32 seeds in the tournament, received a first-round bye. It will be their first career meeting.
Denis Kudla also advanced past the first round Friday, downing Dmitry Tursunov 2-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4. Kudla will play third-seeded Roger Federer.
Nikolay Davydenko, unseeded in the tournament, disposed of Sergei Bubka 7-5, 6-3 and will next be tested by 14th-seeded Gael Monfils.
No. 6 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will take on Michael Llodra in the second round after Llodra outlasted Ernest Gulbis 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (7-3).
