Rafael Nadal insisted on Wednesday that it would be "arrogant" to consider himself the Madrid Masters favourite following the shock exit of world number one Novak Djokovic. Nadal began his campaign with a 6-3, 6-4 win over French world number 37 Benoit Paire to reach the third round. Djokovic's defeat to Grigor Dmitrov on Tuesday has made Nadal the strong favourite to claim his third title in Madrid.

Rafael Nadal safely booked his passage into the quarter-finals of the Madrid Masters as he saw off Mikhail Youzhny 6-2, 6-3 in just under an hour and 15 minutes. The World No.5 started brightly with his forehand in particular doing damage down the line to the Youzhny backhand and he broke the Russian to move 2-1 in front in the first set. Another blistering forehand down the line opened up another two break points for the Spaniard with Youzhny serving at 2-4 and a cute drop shot at the net secured the double break before two big serves closed out the set in the next game.

Madrid, May 8 (EFE).- Spain's Rafael Nadal successfully kicked off his bid for a 40th career clay-court title, advancing to the third round of the Mutua Madrid Open with a 6-3, 6-4 victory Wednesday over Benoit Paire. The 37th-ranked Frenchman adopted an unorthodox strategy aimed at throwing off Nadal's rhythm, cutting rallies short with numerous drop shots - including 14 in the first set alone - and seeking to end points quickly with flat rockets off his backhand side.

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.