World number one Rafael Nadal made a winning debut at the Japan Open in Tokyo as he beat Gael Monfils in Sunday's final.
Nadal cast aside the 15th-ranked Frenchman 6-1 7-5 in just over an hour.
The Spaniard had struggled to reach the final after saving two match points in his semi-final against Viktor Troicki, before producing a far more convincing display to clinch his seventh ATP Tour title of the year.
"Every tournament is very important, it is nice to win another big title like this one," said Nadal.
"I won a lot this year but I have to appreciate how difficult it is and how much hard work you have to do.
"I improved my serve a lot and it is a big thing on a surface as quick as here in Tokyo."
Monfils was always playing catch-up after he was broken in the second and sixth games of the first set, before suffering a heavy fall.
The Frenchman looked like he had injured his ankle in the incident, but afterwards he denied that had played its part in his defeat.
"The fall I had in the first set only affected me for a little while, it had no impact on the result," he admitted.
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