Rafa receives star support in Rome, Next comes Wawrinka

Rafael Nadal had the support of Italian football star Fransesco Totti .

Nadal faces the talented Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka in the Quarter Finals.

The swiss is known for his dangerous one handed backhand, some sources even named Wawrinka as one of the top 5 single handed backhands of all time.

Update: Nadal dows past Wawrinka.

Nalbandian announces his World Team Cup participation in Dusseldorf, Germany

David Nalbandian plans to travel to Germany after playing in the Madrid Masters, aiming to boost his country's team, joining his 3 countrymen Juan Monaco, Edwardo Shwank and Horacio Zeballos.

After that Nalbandian heads to France for the biggest clay court event of the year, the Roland Garros, hopefully with a form that can be enough to produce major upsets in that particular tournament.

Bulldozer Nadal blitzes past Kohlschreiber

Rafael Nadal wastes no time in disposing of Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber at the Rome Masters

Nadal's return to form on clay should come as no surprise. Humbled in Indian Wells and Miami - the last two hard court competitions before the tour headed to Europe - the 24-year-old is far happier on clay, a surface more forgiving on his troublesome knees.

The Spaniard was at his relentless best, bombarding Kohlschreiber with his explosive ground strokes and battering the German into submission.

And he wrapped up victory with another break and in truth, with consummate ease, to book a third-round clash with Victor Hanescu of Romania.Photo(Getty Images)

My name is Ernest Gulbis, Hello Mr. Roger Babycare

Roger Federer stunned by a 21 years old Latvian.

Federer's form dropped dramatically after a routine first set in his opening match of the clay court season. He lost the next two sets to dash any hopes of a showdown with arch-rival Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals.

It was Federer's first singles match in nearly a month. He took off several weeks after losing to Tomas Berdych in the fourth round of the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Florida, on March 30.

The 40th-ranked Gulbis fought off nerves at the end and finally closed out the match on his seventh match point.

Now the big Question remains: is this the sign of the Big Roger Federer, the legend's end of career? i think we will find the answer in Madrid.

Rome Masters - Kohlschreiber sets up Nadal clash

Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber is to be Rafael Nadal's first opponent at the Rome Masters after battling past Pablo Cuevas 6-7 6-1 6-4 to set up a second-round meeting with the reigning champion.

Nadal looked to have regained his awesome clay-court prowess when sweeping away the opposition to win his sixth consecutive Monte Carlo Masters earlier this month to send an ominous message to his rivals with the French Open looming.

The Spaniard, who has dropped from top to third in the world rankings after an injury-hit 2009, should be well rested for his Rome title defence on his favourite surface after missing last week's Barcelona Open.

World number one Roger Federer, who has a bye to the second round like Nadal and the other top seeds, will start his campaign against Ernests Gulbis after the Latvian beat Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis 6-2 6-2. Reuters

David drops again in Rankings

David's points from Barcelona last year came off and, as expected, this has sent him down 32 places, back to #151.
But with no more points to defend this year, things can only get better now.

David is most likely to receive a wild card in Madrid, and he yet possesses several Protected Ranking uses.

Nadal unfavored with number 3 Ranking

Reigning champion Rafael Nadal insisted his number three ranking would have no affect ahead of the defence o

f his Rome Masters 1000 title this week.

Until a week ago, the 23-year-old Spaniard had not won a title since triumphing here a year ago and briefly dropped from world number one to number four, before moving up a place and arriving here at three.

But Nadal, who relaxed by joining Novak Djokovic, the man he beat in the final here a year ago, at Rome's Stadio Olimpico to watch AS Roma take on Sampdoria on Sunday night, insisted that he had no problem with his ranking, even though he risks facing world number one Roger Federer in the semi-finals. "I know the rules and I'm happy with the rules and who am I to say if that is correct or not correct," he said.

"For me and for Roger it will be a pleasure if we happen to play against each other in the semi-finals but I think it is very difficult to talk about the semi-finals before starting the tournament."

We keep wanting more from this rivalry, but every so often we should look back and remind ourselves how much we've already been given.

Nalbandian Youzney Monte Carlo 2010 Highlights

The return of a Warrior

Nalbandian makes his comeback in the Madrid Masters, a Pre Roland Garros Tournament.
After a very successful tournament in the Monte Carlo Masters, reaching the QF, the media is interested in Nalbandian's participation in Madrid.
And its worth to mention that David is a former Madrid champion in 2007, although it was played on hard court indoors, but Nalbandian always proved that he can be a very dangerous clay courter.