Nadal, Murray in third round of the Madrid Masters

MADRID: Former champions Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray booked their passage to the third round of the Madrid Masters as the countdown to Roland Garros began to heat up.

Nadal took the first step towards a third clay title this season by defeating Ukrainian qualifier Oleksandr Dolgopolov 6-4, 6-3. Murray, seeded third, beat Juan Ignacio Chela for the fourth time in a row, earning a 6-3, 6-3 opening victory after a bye in the first round. Nadal and Murray both won the event when it was played indoors on hardcourt during the autumn, with Nadal taking the title in 2005 and Murray following up in 2008.

Serena shocked by Petrova Russian Nadia Petrova brought Serena Williams’s hopes of improving her Madrid tournament credentials to an abrupt end by beating the world number one in the third round. Top seed Williams got off to a positive start before seeing the match go in Petrova’s favour for a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory. for the Russian. Meanwhile, Venus Williams will be confirmed as the number two player in women’s tennis behind Serena when the WTA rankings are next published Monday, after she reached the quarter-finals.

Published in the Express Tribune, May 14th, 2010.