World number two and second seed Rafael Nadal [Images] opened the defence of his Madrid Masters title with a comfortable 6-4, 6-2 win over American qualifier Mardy Fish [Images] on Wednesday.

Nadal was sharper and quicker throughout and did not drop a serve as he set up a third-round tie with 13th-seed Tommy Haas of Germany [Images].

"I am delighted with victory it's always special to play and win in at home here in Spain. The fans were getting behind me just like they did last year and it really doesn't put me under any more pressure," Nadal said.

"Haas is a great all round player but I am sure that if I play as well as I did today, I will win."

Four of Nadal's closest rivals failed to make the last 16, however, as third seed Ivan Ljubicic, fifth seed Nikolay Davydenko, eighth seed James Blake and ninth seed Marcos Baghdatis were upset in their ties.

World number three Ljubicic, who lost to Nadal in last year's final, was defeated by Britain's Andy Murray 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

Ljubicic, who had won nine of his previous 10 matches, drew level in the second but Murray got the decisive break in a finely-balanced third set, to set up a meeting with 15th seed Novak Djokovic.

"Today's win gives me confidence that I can go on to secure my place among the top players," said Murray.

COMEBACK

Blake succumbed to Belgian Kristof Vliegen after an exciting third-set tie break 6-4, 3-6, 7-6.

The American has won five titles this year and came into the tie having won back-to-back tournaments in Bangkok and Stockholm.

"Obviously my preparation wasn't great after making the final in Stockholm," said Blake.

"It's a fine line between having lots of confidence and being here longer to get used to the courts and the altitude.

"But I'm not making excuses and Vliegen played a great game. I don't think I could have played the game any differently tactically."

Murray, ranked 19th in the world, put the Croatian under pressure from the start and won the first set with a single break of serve.

The 24-year-old Vliegen, a straight sets winner in their only previous encounter between the two earlier this year started stronger.

He lost his way in the second but in a see-saw third came from 3-1 down to lead 4-3, and then scrambled a break to level at 6-6 taking the match to a tie break. He won the tie beak 7-5 after just over two hours of play.

Davydenko went out to Sweden's Joachim Johansson 6-4, 6-7, 6-3 while Baghdatis fell to Russian Marat Safin [Images], the 2004 champion, 6-4, 6-3.

The other seeds to fall on Wednesday were Spain's 2003 winner Juan Carlos Ferrero who was seeded 16, as he lost to Sweden's Robin Soderling 6-3, 6-2. Soderling earned a third-round tie against top seed Roger Federer [Images].

The 12th seed Mario Ancic of Croatia suffered a straight set defeat 7-6, 7-6 to last year's semi-finalist American Robby Ginepri.

Seeds who did progress included in-form 10th seed Chilean Fernando Gonzalez, who lost in the final in Vienna last week, who overcame Thailand's Paradorn Srichapan 7-5, 6-7, 6-4 and Haas who eased past Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia 6-3, 7-6.

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