ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AFP) - Rafael Nadal made a winning debut in Rotterdam Wednesday with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Dmitry Tursunov of Russia to reach the second round.

The victory in just under 90 minutes in front of an 8,000 strong sellout crowd set up the Spanish top seed for a clash with Italian Andreas Seppi, who ambushed former champion Lleyton Hewitt 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/4).

Fifth seed Tomas Berdych put out two-time finalist Ivan Ljubicic 6-3, 6-3, but the tournament ended early for sixth seed Andy Murray of Britain, who was dumped out by Dutchman Robin Haase.

Nadal was playing for the first time since losing in the Australian Open semi-finals a month ago.

The three-time Roland Garros winner was lobbed by Tursunov on a first match point but finished up the job on his second opportunity, with a winner to the empty court.

"It was a tough first round," said Nadal, who was unable to make it to the event over the past two editions and did not want to miss a third.

"Tursunov plays very aggrsessive and has a lot of power. I knew I had to serve well to keep on top of him.

"Seppi beat Hewitt so he will come into the match with big confidence, I have to be ready."

Hewitt, a 2004 champion at the Ahoy arena whose number 19 ranking is a huge step away from his one-time top status in the game, had only himself to blame after losing to Seppi, ranked 42, in just under three hours.

Hewitt exited his first European indoor event in a year regretting what might have been.

"It was tight and I should have won," said Hewitt, who turns 27 on Sunday.

"It's frustrating to have chances and not take them."

Dutch wild card Haase, a 2005 junior Wimbledon finalist, brought Murray back to earth with a bang with a 7-5, 6-3 win in a battle of 20-year-olds.

Murray's loss just three days after lifting his second title of the season, at Marseille, left him with a pair of trophys and just as many first-round exits on what is proving to be a roller-coaster season.

"I was not happy with my returns," said Murray, who regained a top ten place only days ago. "The court here is much slower than in Marseille.

"And the rallies last for an average of nine or ten shots instead of four or five like last week. But I wasn't tired physically or mentally coming in, I felt decent."

Haase, ranked 94th, left the Scot on a 10-2 record since January.

Murray, who also won a title during the first week of the year at Doha before crashing out in his first match at the Australian Open to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, was unable maintain the momentum he had built up last week in France.

Haase claimed the first set on his third opportunity and kept his nose ahead in the second. The home favourite advanced on his first match point, a winner to the far corner.

Murray said he faced four more matches in as many days had he gone through to the Rotterdam final.

"Five in a row is tough two weeks in a row.

"I'll got home now and relax a few days before trying to train outdoors for Dubai and the American swing at Indian Wells and Miami.

"So far this year has been pretty good. If I have a few more months like this it will definitely help me stay in the Top ten."

Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili became the first into the quarter-finals as he beat France's Nicolas Mahut 6-2, 7-6 (9/7).