The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Madrid

Rafael Nadal appeared on court for the first time in more than six weeks, thrilling his home public with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Marcos Baghdatis to advance at the Madrid Masters.

The world number two, with both knees strapped, has been plagued by tendinitis since the summer, forcing him to withdraw from Bangkok last month a few weeks after losing in the US Open fourth round.

But the popular 2005 champion is determined to put mind over matter in Madrid, where he rules in the popularity stakes.

"I'm very pleased with this win, it means a lot," said the Spaniard, who races off on Thursday night in a third-round match against Briton Andy Murray.

"I haven't trained a lot and it's been a long time since I played. I'm always excited to play here in Madrid, the public helps me so much."

Nadal made his return to competition, snatching back an early break in the opening set and getting on top of Baghdatis with a break for 5-4 on his way to sealing the match.

Third seed Novak Djokovic missed a match point and struck 41 unforced errors but mounted a fight-back to win 6-7 (7/9), 6-3, 6-3 over Fernando Verdasco.

The 20-year-old winner, who holds Masters shields this season from Miami and Montreal, was forced to the wall by the attacking Spaniard, whose lethal forehand has earned him the nickname of "Hot Sauce."

Djokovic came up trumps in 2hr 34min as he saved all 10 break points he faced.

The Serb, who played the US Open final against Roger Federer last month, next faces former Spanish great Juan Carlos Ferrero, who met long-time mate and rival Carlos Moya for the 14th time and ended up a 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 winner.

Argentine danger-man Guillermo Canas looms in the path of holder Federer after advancing 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 over Agustin Calleri.

The Swiss top seed's life suddenly got a touch uncomfortable as he comes up against the South American spoiler who knocked him out of back-to-back Masters events last spring during one of the worst wobbles of his illustrious career.

Canas, who has been back on the ATP for more than a year after serving a doping ban, stunned Federer in the Indian Wells second round and repeated the upset little more than a week later with a fourth-round victory in Miami. The pair have met four times - all at the Masters level - with the South American winning three.

The 2006 finalist Fernando Gonzalez of Chile beat Nicolas Almagro 7-6 (13/11), 7-5 to add to Spanish misery at home.

Gonzalez, who stands seventh in the race for one of four remaining places for the season-wrapup Masters Cup in Shanghai, was beaten by Federer in straight sets a year ago.

The fifth-seeded Chilean followed up that performance by reaching the Australian Open final last January only to lose again to the Swiss.

Luckless American James Blake led a parade of seeded losers, with the number six now 0-4 in Madrid following a defeat by Mario Ancic 6-3, 6-4.

Blake, who lost a Stockholm semi-final at the weekend, had complained of back pain in that contest and will now rest for a week.

Feliciano Lopez won an all-Spanish clash at the expense of seventh seed David Ferrer 7-6 (7/3), 7-5.

The early defeat doesn't help the cause of Tokyo winner Ferrer in his battle for a place in Shanghai.

Argentine David Nalbandian put out Czech ninth seed Tomas Berdych 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) while Paul-Henri Mathieu upset 10th- seeded French countryman Richard Gasquet 7-6 (10/8), 7-5.