KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. >> Rafael Nadal was eliminated Sunday in the third round of the Miami Open by fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3.

Nadal, who was seeded second, has never won the tournament in 11 appearances. It’s the only event he hasn’t won in so many attempts.

Verdasco, seeded 29th, lost the first 13 times he played Nadal but has now beaten him twice in a row. The other victory came in 2012 in Madrid.

Nadal converted only three of 12 break-point chances and committed 40 unforced errors, with just 18 winners.

The tournament was already without Roger Federer, who skipped the event. Four-time champion Novak Djokovic and two-time champion Andy Murray are now heavy favorites to make the final.