The top seed, Rafael Nadal, lit up the second day of the Madrid Masters on the second day by overcoming Latvia's Ernests Gulbis with 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, allowing him to move on to the third round. With a total of eight titles so far this season, including Wimbledon, Paris and the Olympics, Nadal gave a sold out crowd exactly what they were looking for in his opening match which is following a three week pause. This World No. 1 player has only once been able to claim the home trophy, and this was three years ago. Since that match he has stalled twice during the quarter files, preventing him from claiming the title again.
Nadal last played leading Spain past the United States into a November Davis Cup final against Argentina in Mar del Plate. Gulbis, who is 20 years old, saved a match point in the final game after Nadal was able to take late control by taking a break in the third match.
Nadal's next move is to play the 15th seed, a French player named Richard Gasquet. Richard Gasquet recently defeated Mardy Fish, an American player at 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 6-3.
Nadal wasn't afraid to say that he had to fight hard through to victory. He was quoted as saying that the match was very tough, but also happened to be an important one for him to win. He found a way to fight back in the second set, allowing him to win the important games. "I pulled out my best game when I had to." He told reporters.
Andy Murray took full advantage of Italian player Simone Bolelli in a 6-0 2-1 match. Bolelli is currently dealing with a shoulder injury and retired out of the second round match owing to that problem after Andy Murray thrashed him in the first two rounds.
The US open finalist who hails from Scotland spent an extended amount of time at home during the autumn after he lost to Roger Federer in New York. He only dropped a single point on serve in the first set.
The fourth seed is next going to play Marin Cilic from Croatia, a winner over the thirteenth seed from Spain; Fernando Verdasco, 6-2, 6-3. Murray was quoted as saying "I was really happy with how I served and moved," Though he also said "He stopped for a shoulder problem, but he seemed to be hitting his serve fine to me," in response to Simone Bolelli's retirement from the match in the second round.
Cilic and Murray played as juniors and in Davis Cup, but they have never played at the APT level. Murray acknowledges that the match will be tough for both players, as both are playing well so far and have never gone head to head professionally.
Giles Simon continued the Madrid misery for American James Blake, keeping him without a career win following a defeat of 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the second round. In addition to five total losses in Madrid, Blake also received embarrassment last April following a debut in Barcelona, leaving him trailing even further in the points race, especially with the Masters Cup coming up next month.
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