As reclamation projects go, Pablo Carreno Busta is making it look easy.

Busta, the winner of the Winston-Salem Open back in 2016, is back for more. He defeated Omni Kumar 6-2, 6-0 in less than an hour on Monday.

Battling through injuries the last few years, the 33-year-old Spaniard is feeling fit and ready to make a deep run in a place he loves.

“This wasn’t bad for a start,” he said about winning the match and moving on to the second round. “To win that first match I felt really comfortable and I’m coming from (the tournament in Cincinnati) and won two matches so I’m playing with more confidence.”

His injuries included back surgery in June of 2012, an abdominal fracture in 2017 and a right-shoulder surgery in 2019. So he’s been through a lot, but is now on the other side of it. He arrived at the tournament ranked No. 300, but at one point was ranked No. 10 in 2017 before his injuries.

“After a long time when I was outside the tour it’s difficult to say that I’m playing at 100 percent,” Carreno Busta said. “It’s more confidence and my tennis is improving every day and the most important thing is I’m playing without pain.”

Carreno Busta picked up some confidence winning a match in Montreal then winning twice in Cincinnati last week.

“I’m trying to get back to my solid game and I’m fighting all the time,” Carreno Busta said.

He didn’t know what to expect in Monday’s match, having never played Kumar before.

“I didn’t know my opponent, but I watched his (qualifying match) yesterday,” Carreno Busta said. “I was focused all the time and tried to dominate the points, so it was good.”

Even though Carreno Busta says he's not in pain, he doesn’t know what the future holds. But he was all smiles after his first-round win.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen other days, but today I felt good, and I was good with my serve and it’s always important with this kind of surface,” Carreno Busta said.

As for his record here, it’s impressive. In 2021 and 2019 he reached the quarterfinals, and in 2020 he went to the semifinals. 

“I love playing tennis here,” Carreno Busta said. “I always feel comfortable here and I don’t know if it’s the surface or what but whenever I arrive at this part of the schedule in the U.S. I feel comfortable.”

He’s one of the most experienced players left in the field and has a 16-6 record on these courts.

“I’ve come here five, six seven years and I won here in 2016,” he said. “So, I feel like it’s home here and I enjoy it. It’s very good for me to prepare for the U.S. Open.”

Carreno Busta faces Russian-born Alexander Shevchenko in the second round.

Alexander Shevchenko