Rafael Nadal made his long-awaited return to his favorite surface. and The King of Clay didn’t disappoint his home fans easing past Miomir Kecmanovic 6-1, 7-6(4) to reach the third round at the Madrid Masters.

Nadal didn’t show much in the of rust after being off the tour for six weeks due to a rib injury. The 5-time Madrid champion dominated the opener against a very in-form Kecmanovic, then held on …

Emma Raducanu fought from a break down in the third to take the lead only to come up just short in a tough 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 loss to Anhelina Kalinina in the third round at the Madrid Masters.

Raducanu fell behind 3-1 in the decider but upped the pace on her forehand and clawed back. A nervous-looking Kalinina was somehow able to get back on track, finding the range on her …

Old friends, old rivals Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray set a Thursday third round meeting at the Madrid Masters.

Djokovic, a 3-time Madrid winner, played his best match of the season cruising past Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-2. Djokovic improves to 18-0 against Monfils, making his the first player in the Open Era to win his first 18 matches over another player.

The win also keeps Djokovic as the No. 1 player. But …

With the Wimbledon news a week ago banning Russian and Belarussian players, the top men met the press yesterday in Madrid and spoke out again against the AELTC’s decision.

“It’s hard,” Djokovic said. “There is frustration. ATP is going to, I guess, analyze the whole situation and understand what can be done. I have not spoken to people from ATP, so I’m not sure about it.

“Going through something similar, let’s …

He’s OK! Rafael Nadal made it clear yesterday to the press that his rib is okay, and he’s fine after taking six weeks off the rest the injury.

“Fine, I’m fine,” Nadal told reporters in Madrid on Sunday. “Talking about injury, I’m recovered. I feel good.”

However, the injury has stunted Nadal preparations on his favorite surface — he didn’t start serving again until last week. Although the lack of prep didn’t …

It’s been a shaky start for Novak Djokovic to the 2022 clay season. The Serb ran out of gas in Monte Carlo losing to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, and then he was fed a bagel in the final set of the title match in Belgrade by Andrey Rublev.

Long considered one of the fittest players on tour, it was jarring to see him out of air after two sets of …

Simona Halep fought back from a break down in the second to defeat Coco Gauff for a third straight time in a 6-4, 6-4 win in the third round at the Madrid Masters.

Halep came in 2-0 against Gauff and early on the 2-time Madrid champion was in control.

Gauff, though, would get up 4-1 with all systems firing in the second and had the tables turned, or so it seem. The …

Andy Murray made the most of his first clay match in 18 months easing past former French finalist Dominic Thiem 6-3, 6-4.

Thiem, who is in the midst of a comeback from a wrist injury, was a 2-time Madrid finalist in 2017 and 2018, had little to offer Murray in the match of former Grand Slam champions

Thiem’s shots aren’t at full strength and Murray was able to take advantage, muscling the …

Into their mid 30s, it’s rare when Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are in the same event. But for the first time since the fall French Open during 2020, that’s what’s happening in Madrid this week for the second clay Masters of 2022.

Murray just changed course and decided to play on the clay perhaps wanting to get an early test-run with Ivan Lendl, and maybe feeling the need …

The upsets continued at the Madrid Masters, with mixed emotions among the home Spaniards.

Garbine Muguruza’s hopes for a first title in Madrid faded as she suffered the shock of the day going down to Anhelina Kalinina winning just three games 6-3, 6-0.

“I didn’t expect the score was going to be like this,” Kalinina said after her first Top 10 win. “I was just very focused, even during the match I …

Sebastian Baez joined Holger Rune as first time winners on the ATP this weekend, as the Argentine topped Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 6-2

Baez beat three former champions including Tiafoe en route to his first career title, and biggest moment as a pro thus far.

Seeking a second title, Tiafoe had points to go up 3-1 in the first but Baez was able to get into gear.

“I started so nervous. He started good, …

Teen Holger Rune won his first career title Sunday in Munich when his opponent, Botic van de Zandschulp, had to retire in the first set up 4-3 on serve due to a chest issue.

“This was probably the worst way to win a final,” said Rune. “I was obviously expecting a very tough match and he came out very strong. I just wish him all the best, a speedy recovery, and …

The big showdown between Simona Halep and Paula Badosa turned out to be a dud for the home folks at the Madrid Masters as the Romanian rolled to a 6-3, 6-1 win over the No. 2 seed.

Halep, a 2-time champion and 2-time runner-up, lost an early break but pulled away from 3-all, winning nine of the last 10 games in this first-time meeting.

“I will take this match as a boost …

A trio of former US Open champions advanced Friday on the clay at the Madrid Masters.

Making her 2022 clay debut, Naomi Osaka topped recent Istanbul champion Anastasia Potapova cruising 6-3, 6-1. Osaka, who has only made one career semifinal on clay, opened down a break early but got things rolling to snap the Russian’s 9-match win streak.

“I’m honestly trying to be more positive with myself,” Osaka said. “This year I …

The best woman in the world by a mile, Iga Swiatek, opted out of the Madrid Masters which begins tomorrow in Spain.

Swiatek, the world No. 1, has won her last 23 matches and four events and understandably needed a break to save herself for a big run at another French Open title next month.

“Unfortunately my team and I decided that I need to withdraw from Madrid. I hope to see …