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Madrid - Rafael Nadal took the first step towards a third clay title this season, going through easily in his opening match at the Madrid Masters over Ukrainian qualifier Oleksandr Dolgopolov 6-4 6-3.
The second seed behind Roger Federer didn't need to produce much second-round spectacle for his eager home fans as he methodically dispatched the number 62 in just under 90 minutes with three breaks of serve and little else required.
The Spaniard, who owns titles this season from Masters 1000 outings at Monte Carlo and Rome, won his 11th match in a row on clay this season in just under 90 minutes.
He will likely have to lift in the third round when he takes on 2.05-metre American John Isner, a comeback winner over Santiago Giraldo of Colombia 1-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-2.
The 13th-seeded Isner made a breakthrough at the weekend as he lost in a rare all-American European clay final in Belgrade.
Marin Cilic, the Croatian eighth seed, beat Argentine Edoardo Schwank 6-3 6-0. Latvian Ernests Gulbis, a semi-finalst in Rome, upset Russian number 10 Mikhail Youzhny 7-6 (7-2) 6-4.
French 12th seed Gael Monfils needed only 11 minutes to go through as German Philipp Petzschner quit at 1-1 with a leg injury after informing his friend in advance that he was hurting.
Stanislas Wawrinka earned a third-round match with Roger Federer through a defeat of Leonardo Mayer, 6-4 4-2 when the Argentine quit with an arm problem.
Off-court, Andy Roddick was forced out before his second-round start after unsuccessfully trying to overcome a dehabilitating stomach virus.
The pullout from the fifth seed and world number eight came before his opening match against Madrid's Feliciano Lopez, who later defeated Oscar Hernandez, Spain, 6-1 6-2.
In women's WTA play, Jelena Jankovic said she took little notice of compatriot Ana Ivanovic across the net, emerging with a scratchy 4-6 6-4 6-1 win in a Serbian struggle for the third round.
"I treated it as just another match," said the seventh seed, a beaten finalist in Rome last weekend. "Over the years you play so many matches and go through so many things.
"Maybe at the start of our careers it was important. Now you just want to play your tennis. You try your best and try to win.
"It was not my best and I didn't expect to play so great after a long week in Rome. But it's the first match in Madrid with the altitude. I got through it and I get to play again tomorrow."
Ivanovic faced 20 break points in the battle, losing 11 while Jankovic was broken eight times in the sloppy victory showing.
Spain's Arantxa Parra Santonja claimed the last of the third-round places, defeating China's Peng Shuai 1-6 7-6 (7-1) 6-3.
Venus Williams won a third-round match over Italian Francesca Schiavone 3-6 6-1 6-2.
Singles Results (x denotes seeding):
Men:-
Second Round
Marin Cilic (CRO x8) bt Edoardo Schwank (ARG) 6-3, 6-0
Victor Hanescu (ROM) bt Daniel Munoz De La Nava (ESP) 6-0, 4-6, 6-3
Gael Monfils (FRA x12) bt Philipp Petzschner (GER) 1-1, retired - leg injury
Juan Monaco (ARG) bt Thomaz Bellucci (BRA x16) 6-2, 6-2
Feliciano Lopez (ESP) bt Oscar Hernandez (ESP) 6-1, 6-2
Ernests Gulbis (LAT) bt Mikhail Youzhny (RUS x10) 7-6 (7/2), 6-4
Rafael Nadal (ESP x2) bt Oleksandr Dolgopolov (UKR) 6-4, 6-3
John Isner (USA x13) bt Santiago Giraldo (COL) 1-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-2
Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI x15) bt Leonardo Mayer (ARG) 6-4, 4-2, retired
Nicolas Almagro (ESP) bt Robin Soderling (SWE x4) 6-4, 7-5
Women:-
Second Round
Jelena Jankovic (SRB x7) bt Ana Ivanovic (SRB) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1
Arantxa Parra Santonja (ESP) bt Peng Shuai (CHN) 1-6, 7-6 (7/1), 6-3
Third Round
Venus Williams (USA x4) bt Francesca Schiavone (ITA x15) 3-6, 6-1, 6-2
