Rafael Nadal's knees pass brief test in Montreal

Rafael Nadal survived a battle of creaky knees against David Ferrer, who retired hurt from their secondround match at the Montreal Masters to gift the world No2 a comeback win.

Sidelined for more than two months with tendonitis in both knees, Nadal's tender joints were in the spotlight for his first match since his shock loss by Sweden's Robin Soderling at the French Open in May.

But it was Ferrer's left knee that became the talking point after he quit when trailing 4-3 in the opening set.

Ferrer said: "I've had the problem with it since before Wimbledon."

The 37-minute match answered few questions about the fitness of Nadal.

He said: "I need more days to have a real test but it was okay."

Tonight, Britain's Andy Murray faces Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero, who he knocked out of this year's quarter-finals at Wimbledon.