Andy Murray comfortably beat Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-3 6-2 in his first match at the Barcelona Open on Tuesday to book his place in the last 16.
After the Monte Carlo Masters ended with the predictable Rafa Nadal triumph, the world's top tennis players are set to face something entirely different when they head to Madrid.
Rafa Nadal has played down the significance of his victory over Novak Djokovic in Monte Carlo, saying winning tournaments was his priority rather than reclaiming the world number one spot.
Rafael Nadal of Spain was dreaming of a seventh French Open title on Sunday after clinching his eighth consecutive Monte Carlo title by ending a seven-final losing streak to world No 1 Novak Djokovic of Serbia.
Argentina earned promotion back to the Fed Cup World Cup II following a 6-4, 6-2 victory for Paula Ormaechea against Wang Qiang on Sunday at Parque Roca in the third rubber.
Jelena Jankovic steered Serbia into their first Fed Cup final when she thrashed Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1 6-4 in the second reverse singles on Sunday.
Rafa Nadal blazed to an eighth consecutive Monte Carlo Masters title as he ended a seven-match losing streak against Novak Djokovic with an emphatic 6-3 6-1 victory on Sunday.
Petra Kvitova put defending champions the Czech Republic into the Fed Cup final with a 6-4 7-6 win over Italy's Francesca Schiavone on Sunday.
Svetlana Kuznetsova survived a second-set wobble to brush aside Ana Ivanovic and bring Russia level at 1-1 with Serbia in their Fed Cup semi-final on Saturday.
World number one Novak Djokovic will try to deal Rafael Nadal another blow when the world's two top players clash in Sunday's Monte Carlo Masters tennis final, where the Spaniard is chasing an eighth consecutive crown.
Djokovic raised his eyes and arms to the sky after beating Ukraine's Alexandr Dolgopolov to reach the Monte Carlo Masters quarter-finals just hours after learning of the death of his grandfather.
Rafa Nadal gave his troublesome knees a quick outing as the Spaniard launched his bid for a record eighth successive Monte Carlo Masters title with a 6-4 6-3 win over Finland's Jarkko Nieminen.
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