The Top 3 players in the South African Airways ATP Rankings - Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic - have accounted for the seven ATP Masters Series titles this year. And all three are in the quarterfinals of the Mutua Madrilena Masters in Madrid and have already qualified for the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai.
Spanish favorite Nadal meets David Nalbandian in the feature match of the day. The two have never met before. Federer will look to continue his perfect record against Feliciano Lopez, while Djokovic meets Mario Ancic. The fifth-seeded Fernando Gonzalez will seek to strengthen his Shanghai chances against Nicolas Kiefer.
Here are the quarterfinal match-ups:
No. 1 Roger Federer vs. (WC) Feliciano Lopez Federer leads 5-0
No. 2 Rafael Nadal vs. David Nalbandian First meeting
No. 3 Novak Djokovic vs. Mario Ancic Tied 1-1
No. 5 Fernando Gonzalez vs. Nicolas Kiefer Kiefer leads 2-0
NALBANDIAN FASTFACTS
Comes into Madrid quarterfinals with 21-17 season record (14-9 on hard).
Has reached just one quarterfinal in 15 tournaments coming in, at Barcelona (d. Moya en route; l. to Ferrer); has won back-to-back matches at six other events, however, reaching fourth round at Australian Open (l. to Haas), AMS Indian Wells (l. to Ljubicic) and Roland Garros (l. to Davydenko), and third rounds at Wimbledon (l. to Baghdatis), AMS Canada (l. to Djokovic) and US Open (l. to Ferrer in five sets after holding match point).
Although this season has seen him fall out of the Top 10 (furthermore out of the Top 20), Nalbandian has still had a solid season, maintaining a win-loss record of above .500.
After over a month off since his US Open loss to Ferrer, played his first event of the fall in Vienna last week, reaching second round (l. to eventual finalist Wawrinka in three sets).
Has a 9-5 record in AMS events this year going into Madrid quarterfinals, his best runs being fourth round finish at Indian Wells (l. to Ljubicic) and third rounds at Miami and Canada.
Has a 69-43 career record in AMS events, his best results being runner-up finishes at 2003 Canada (l. to Roddick), 2004 Rome (l. to Moya) and 2004 Madrid (l. to Safin) and semifinal showings at 2003 Hamburg, 2005 Madrid, 2006 Miami, 2006 Rome and 2006 Madrid.
NADAL FASTFACTS
Has ranked No. 2 for a record 116 consecutive weeks (since July 25, 2005).
Has a 133-13 career record on clay (18 titles) and 93-36 mark on hard courts (5 titles).
In 2006, became the first Spaniard to reach Wimbledon final since Santana won it in 1966.
In 2005, won a teenage record 11 titles and became first teenager to finish No. 2 since Boris Becker in 1986 and highest year-end ATP Ranking ever by a Spaniard.
Has a sparkling 23-5 career record in finals (9-2 in ATP Masters Series) with four of the losses coming to Federer ('05 Miami, '06 Wimbledon, ’07 Hamburg, ’07 Wimbledon). (ATP Digital Services)
