Intro:

Ailing Rafael Nadal loses opening match - but Novak Djokovic eases through at the Shanghai Masters on Wednesday.

Script:

Rafael Nadal lost his opening match at the Shanghai Masters on Wednesday, only days after appendicitis left him bedridden and uncertain if he'd be able to compete.

Lacking power on his serve and groundstrokes, the second-seeded Nadal lost to Spanish compatriot Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 7-6 (6) after squandering a 5-2 lead in the second set.

Nadal said he felt a little dizzy from the antibiotics used to treat the appendicitis, but wasn't in a great deal of pain.

He also added that he plans to have surgery to remove his appendix sometime before the end of the year.

SOUNDBITE: (English) Rafael Nadal (about when he will have an operation to remove appendix):

"My feeling today and my answer today, honestly, is I am going to do it after the World Tour Final. But you never know, it depends how things improve. I want to do it at the end of the year, not now."

Earlier in the day, top seed Novak Djokovic extended his unbeaten streak in China to 26 straight matches with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Dominic Thiem of Austria; at 21, the youngest player in the top 50.

In other matches, sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych beat Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-1.

Then eighth seed Milos Raonic retired when 2-5 down in the first set against Juan Monaco of Argentina.