Juan Monaco

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal proved to be the most dangerous player to serve against in 2008, topping three of the four returning categories in the year-end Ricoh ATP MatchFacts.

The 22-year-old Spaniard, who compiled a circuit-best 82-11 record and eight titles, led the circuit in points won returning first serve, points won returning second serve and return games won. He also finished No. 3 in break points converted, behind Novak Djokovic and David Nalbandian.

 Former world number one Marat Safin stumbled out of the Paris Masters Series when he lost 6-0 7-6 against Argentine qualifier Juan Monaco in the first round on Monday.

The Russian, three-time winner of the Paris indoor tournament, picked up his game too late to unsettle Monaco, who will next meet France's Gael Monfils, seeded 16th.

"I didn't take my chances and that's why the score is 6-0 7-6," Safin told reporters, adding that he was thinking over his future in the game.

 Italian Simone Bolelli upset local favourite Nicolas Almagro 7-6 6-1 at the Madrid Masters on Monday to make it through to a second round meeting with fourth seed Andy Murray.

The 23-year-old, who lost to Steve Darcis in the final round of qualifying, entered the draw after Russian Marat Safin withdrew with a shoulder injury.

American Mardy Fish also progressed by sweeping aside Belgian qualifier Darcis 6-1 6-4, and will face France’s Richard Gasquet, the 15th seed next.

Radek Stepanek and Ernests Gulbis are both through to the second round of the $3 million Mutua Madrilena Masters.

On Sunday, Stepanek of Czechoslovakia defeated Juan Monaco of Argentina, 6-1, 6-1, in the first round at this hardcourt event to set up a second round meeting with second-seeded Roger Federer of Switzerland.

Gulbis also has an unenviable task awaiting him in the second round. After beating German Nicolas Kiefer, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5, the Latvian next takes on top-seeded Rafael Nadal of Spain.

Top-seeded Andreas Seppi withdrew from the Austrian Open on Tuesday with a groin injury shortly before the start of his opening match against Nicolas Devilder of France.

“I suffer from groin problems since Wimbledon,” said the 24-year-old Italian, who lost in the first round of the Swiss Open last week. “My problems got worse there. I am sorry, it simply won’t work.”

 Former world number one Carlos Moya has withdrawn from next week’s Wimbledon championships with a shoulder injury, tournament organisers said on Monday.

The 31-year-old Spaniard is joined by Argentine claycourt specialists Juan Monaco and Juan Ignacio Chela who have pulled out with back and shoulder injuries respectively.

Moya, the 1998 French Open champion, has never enjoyed much success at the grasscourt slam with his best run coming in 2004 when he made the last 16.

Nikolay Davydenko advanced to the semifinals of the Orange Warsaw Open on Friday with a 6-4, 6-2 win over unseeded Evgeny Korolev.

The top-seeded Russian is seeking his second title at the red clay event, having hoisted the trophy two years ago.

The world No. 4, Davydenko will next face Italy’s Fabio Fognini, who upset No. 5 Guillermo Canas by a 7-5, 7-5 count.

Defending champion Tommy Robredo is seeded second and will attempt to book his place in the final four later Friday when he plays Oscar Hernandez.

 Top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko overcame a thigh injury to beat defending champion Juan Monaco 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 Saturday and win the Hypo Group International for a third time.

This was Davydenko’s 13th ATP Tour title and second of the season after winning the Masters Series event in Miami last month. The fourth-ranked Russian also won this tournament, a clay-court tuneup for the French Open, in 2005 and 2006.