Madrid, May 7 (EFE).- Defending champion Roger Federer of Switzerland won his opening match Tuesday at the Mutua Madrid Open 6-3, 6-3 over Czech Radek Stepanek. The 31-year-old Federer, who won the title in Madrid in 2006, 2009 and 2012, took his eighth straight match against Stepanek and pushed his career record against the Czech to 12-2. Federer had not played since March 15, when Spain's Rafael Nadal beat him 6-4, 6-2 in the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California.

Rafael Nadal took another step in his return from injury with a convincing victory over a hurting Roger Federer on Thursday in the quarter-finals of the Indian Wells Masters. Nadal broke Federer three times in the second set en route to a 6-4, 6-2 victory over the 17-time Grand Slam champion, who has been nursing a nagging back injury. "I don't think Roger was 100 percent tonight," said Nadal, who nevertheless said the win over his great rival was a key step in his comeback from a seven-month absence while rehabilitating his damaged left knee.

Roger Federer, vanquished by Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals at Indian Wells, isn't surprised by the Spaniard's speedy return to form after a seven-month injury absence. "He's not going to come back if he's not well," Federer said Thursday after falling 6-4, 6-2 to Nadal. "He's not going to come back half-broken. "I expected him to tear through the clay. I expected him to be tough here, which he shows to be," Federer said.

Rafael Nadal took another step in his return from injury with a convincing victory over a hurting Roger Federer on Thursday in the quarter-finals of the Indian Wells Masters. Nadal broke Federer three times in the second set en route to a 6-4, 6-2 victory over the 17-time Grand Slam champion, who has been nursing a nagging back injury. "I don't think Roger was 100 percent tonight," said Nadal, who nevertheless said the win over his great rival was a key step in his comeback from a seven-month absence rehabilitating his damaged left knee.