Subject :MADRID - Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal breezed into the Madrid Open third round with their title
MADRID - Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal breezed into the Madrid Open third round with their title defences facing little strain on Wednesday, while Andy Murray made a successful return to clay after nearly a years absence. Thunder T-shirts . Williams broke Shuai Peng three times in a 6-2, 6-3 win that was her 14th straight on the clay of the Magic Box tennis centre, where the top-seeded American dominated her Chinese opponent on serve by firing 11 aces. Williams, who moves on to face Spanish player Carla Suarez Navarro, looked fresh and focused while dismissing any injury fears despite a heavily wrapped left leg. "I just had some issues and went preventive to make sure I didnt make anything worse," said Williams. "Im literally taking it one day, one match at a time, and not putting any pressure on myself." Nadal, meanwhile, certainly fed his confidence with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Juan Monaco of Argentina, just what the top-seeded Spaniard needed after coming to the Spanish capital on his worst clay run in a decade. Nadal, the greatest ever player on the red surface, failed to advance past the quarterfinals of his last two clay tournaments. But after Monaco broke to get to within 2-1, Nadal did not relent as he didnt drop another game at Manolo Santana centre court. "Each victory helps to raise your confidence," Nadal said. "I started a little nervously in my movement. I think I moved better and played well, better than I normally play on the clay. I was dominating over the points and playing very well. "I think Ive done positive things." Nadals hopes of winning a second clay event after his triumph in Rio de Janeiro this year were bolstered on Tuesday when Australian Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka lost and Roger Federer withdrew for the birth of his second set of twins. Second-ranked Novak Djokovic was absent to injury. "I didnt even get to the necessary round to face them at the last tournaments," said Nadal, dismissing his chances despite the marquee absentees. "Every rival is difficult." Nadal, who faces Jarrko Nieminen of Finland next, could be on course to meet Murray in the semifinals after the Scot overcame Nicolas Almagro in a 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 victory. Murray, who won the event in 2008 when it was held on hardcourt, hadnt played on clay since Rome last year but looked at ease in taking the first set. But Almagro rallied to force a deciding set, which Murray won when his Spanish opponent slapped a backhand wide down the line for a 39th unforced error. Also, Tomas Berdych moved to a perfect 11-0 against Kevin Anderson following his 6-1, 6-4 win over the South African, while American John Isner was also victorious in his second round match. Eleventh-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was beaten 6-4, 6-3 by Colombian player Santiago Giraldo, who was coming off his appearance in the Barcelona final. In other womens results, third-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland and No. 4 Simona Halep of Romania both advanced, while Roberta Vinci of Italy knocked out Caroline Wozniacki 6-3, 6-3. Andy Murray returns to the clay for the first time in nearly one year later Wednesday against Nicolas Almagro. David Ferrer, the next highest remaining seed after Nadal at No. 5, faces John Isner. Kyle Singler Thunder Jersey . Hes had three top-10 results this season and feels ready to put it all together and finally hoist a trophy at the top level. Custom Thunder Jersey . It led to his downfall on Tuesday. The Major League Soccer club fired Rennie after a second straight up-and-down season that saw the Whitecaps start strong before limping across the finish line.Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta says the clubs La Liga crown is the ultimate gauge of consistency. Saturdays 3-0 win over Granada confirmed Barca as champions of Spain, with the club picking up their sixth title in eight years.A run of just one win in five games had seen the Catalan club allow Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid back into the title race, but five straight wins to finish the season saw them top the league ahead of Real by just a single point. Weve worked really hard for this all year, Iniesta said. We suffered right at the end, but it tastes of victory, it tastes of glory.This league is the ultimate gauge of consistency, its the one we really want to win every year. We try to win every competition, but this is the big one. Suarez celebrates Barcelonas second goal on his way to a hat-trick The Iniesta and Lioonel Messi generation have won a remarkable eight league titles - out of 24 total titles in Barcelonas history - but the Spaniard sent out a warning to the competition just minutes after the game. Cameron Payne Thunder Jersey. To have won eight titles says a lot about this generation, Iniesta said. But we are going to try and keep this going and win as many titles as possible.Luis Suarez scored all three goals on the day with a hat-trick to confirm his Pichichi crown as the divisions top goalscorer.And centre-back Gerard Pique celebrated with his young sons on the pitch after the game at Granada, and told Sky Sports Guillem Balague that it was a title that Barcelona deserved to win.We are really happy, we deserve this league, Pique said. To win six out of eight is incredible. Also See: Suarez fires Barca to title Balagues XI of the season Barcelona video Barcelona stats Get a £10 free bet! 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