Scotland's Andy Murray beat France's Gilles Simon yesterday to lift the Madrid Masters trophy, thus becoming the first British player to have won two Masters titles.

The 21-year-old Scot who reached the final of the US Open last month, has now won four titles this season - with victories also in Doha and Marseilles - and seven overall.

He next heads to St. Petersburg, where he will be defending the title he won last year.

Simon (second photo), who started the tournament ranked 16th in the world, seemed physically and mentally drained after a tough week - with all three of his previous matches going to deciding set tie-breaks - and ended up losing 4-6, 6-7.

Notwithstanding, his exploits this week have lifted him to tenth in the rankings, and put him in the frame for an invitation to the Masters Cup season finale in Shanghai next month.

Nadal and Federer fall in Madrid semis
By: thinkSPAIN
Sunday, October 19, 2008

Scotland's Andy Murray must now be the firm favourite to win the Madrid Masters after coming from behind to beat Roger Federer yesterday 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.

The new world number four, who lost out to Federer in the US Open final last month, is on course for a second consecutive Masters title following his success in Cincinnati last August.

His opponent in today's final will be France's Gilles Simon, who later went on to inflict a shock defeat on Rafael Nadal - 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 - in a match lasting a marathon three-and-a-half hours.

Federer's earlier defeat means, however, that Rafael Nadal will definitely become the first Spaniard to end the year as world number one since the ATP ranking system was introduced in 1973.

Nadal overcomes shoulder pain to reach Madrid semis
By: thinkSPAIN
Saturday, October 18, 2008

Andy Murray beat Gael Monfils yesterday to set up a repeat of last month's US Open final when he faces Roger Federer in the semi-finals of the Madrid Masters later today.

The young Scot was in commanding form throughout as he swept to a 6-2, 6-2 victory though so was the US Open champion, who barely broke sweat as he beat Davis Cup finalist, Juan Martín del Potro, 6-3, 6-3.

Rafael Nadal also won, despite an injury to his left shoulder picked up during his quarter final against Richard Gasquet, cruising to a comfortable 6-4, 6-4 win against compatriot Feliciano López, and he next faces Gilles Simon, who beat Ivo Karlovic 7-6, 4-6, 7-6.

Regardless of what might happen in Sunday's final, a win today against the unfancied Frenchman would ensure Nadal retains his world number one ranking until the end of 2008.

Nadal and López to meet in Madrid quarters
By: thinkSPAIN
Friday, October 17, 2008

Only one Spaniard will reach the semi-finals of the Madrid Masters as the only two home players left in the competition will meet in today's quarter finals.

Rafael Nadal showed few signs of the lower-back strain that hampered him in his opening match against Ernest Gulbis and forced him to withdraw from the doubles competition, as he cruised to a 6-4, 6-2 victory against French 15th seed, Richard Gasquet.

His next opponent, Feliciano López, earned his place among the last eight with a similarly straightforward 6-4, 6-4 win against Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka.

The major surprise of the round was the elimination of Serbian 3rd seed, Novak Djokovic, who fell to Croatian 14th seed, Ivo Karlovic, 6-7, 6-7 though 8th seed Andy Roddick is also out of the tournament following his defeat to the unseeded Frenchman, Gael Monfils, who next faces Scotland's Andy Murray.

Elsewhere, Roger Federer looked in excellent form as he beat Jo Wilfred Tsonga 6-4, 6-1, earning him a fourth round draw against Juan Martín del Potro with Ivo Karlovic and Gilles Simon completing the quarter final line-up.

López joins Nadal in third round
By: thinkSPAIN
Thursday, October 16, 2008

Feliciano López became the only other Spaniard, apart from Rafael Nadal, to reach the third round of the Madrid Masters by beating compatriot David Ferrer 6-4, 7-6 yesterday in a match lasting little more than an hour and a half.

Elsewhere, Marcel Granollers Pujol fell to Jo Wilfred Tsonga (6-3, 3-6, 6-7) while Tommy Robredo failed to progress against Andy Roddick (3-6, 4-6).

A pulled lower-back muscle that required treatment during his second round singles match last Tuesday, forced Nadal and Carlos Moyà to pull out of the doubles competition yesterday, but the young Mallorcan top seed is expected to be fit for today's third round encounter with France's Richard Gasquet.

Tomorrow, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer will be back in action against Ivo Karlovic and Jo Wilfred Tsonga after respective victories for the third and second seeds yesterday over Victor Hanescu, who retired hurt in the third set with a groin injury, and Radek Stepanek.

Nadal made to battle for third round berth
By: thinkSPAIN
Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Rafael Nadal is through to the third round of the Madrid Masters after a tough three-setter against 20-year-old Latvian scrapper, Ernest Gulbis, yesterday. It took the new world number one two hours and twenty minutes to seal an eventual 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 victory in his first outing since leading Spain to the Davis Cup final three weeks ago, and having been granted a first round bye. The young Mallorcan next faces 15th seed, Richard Gasquet, who progressed by beating America's Mardy Fish 6-7, 6-4, 6-3.

Scotland's Andy Murray is also through after his opponent Simone Bolelli was forced to withdraw with a shoulder injury apparently sustained attempting a smash shot in the first game of the second set, having lost the first 6-0. It was a disappointing end for the 23-year-old Italian, who earned his place in the second round with a shock win against Spain's world number 17, Nicolás Almagro. Notwithstanding, the young Scot undoubtedly faces a sterner test in the next round, where he will be up against Marin Cilic, who beat Fernando Verdasco 6-2, 6-3.

Today features a number of interesting matches including a fascinating all-Spanish tie involving David Ferrer (bye) and Feliciano López, who beat compatriot Albert Montañés in the first round. Elsewhere, Tommy Robredo and Marcel Granollers Pujol will be in action against Andy Roddick (bye) and Jo Wilfred Tsonga (bye) respectively while Roger Federer also enters the fray for the first time against Radek Stepanek from the Czech Republic, who beat Argentina's Juan Monaco 6-1, 6-1.