Federer sets all-time ATP Tour prize money record with win over Stepanek in Madrid

Former Mutua Madrilena Masters Madrid champion and current World No. 2 Roger Federer (pictured) got his 2008 Madrid campaign off to a smooth start on Wednesday as he defeated Radek Stepanek, 6-3, 7-6(6), to advance to the third round. Defending champion David Nalbandian and No. 8 Andy Roddick were also winners on Day Three, as No. 5 Nikolay Davydenko and No. 6 David Ferrer fell to lower-ranked opponents.

Federer, a winner of 13 grand slam singles titles, fired up ten aces in his route of Stepanek that lasted just under 90 minutes. Federer won a remarkable 93 percent of his first serve points, while capturing the only service break of the match during the first set.

"I thought I actually moved okay, I had a good spring in my step," said Federer. "You can always serve a bit better, but my feeling out there was positive and confident, which was a good thing to have in the first round, which tend to be tricky."

With his victory today, Federer passes legendary tennis player Pete Sampras for the most tournament prize money earned on the ATP Tour, with a current total of $42,300,847. Along with the large amount of tournament prize money earned since turning pro in 1998, Federer has won an amazing 56 career singles titles. Federer improves to 56-12 on the season and will next meet French star Jo-Wilfried Tsonga for a place in the quarterfinals. The former World No. 1 is looking to win the Madrid title for the first time since beating Chilean Fernando Gonzalez in the 2006 title match. The third round clash between Federer and Tsonga will be the first meeting between the pair.

Nalbandian, who defeated Federer, Djokovic and Rafael Nadal last year in Madrid en route to the title, escaped a scare from hard-hitting Czech star Tomas Berdych, winning 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-1. The Argentine smashed nine aces, while winning 77 percent of his first serve points and breaking serve on six occasions.

“I played a good match,” said Nalbandian. “At the beginning of the second set, I lost control of ball and my timing was off. After that, I played at a great level. In general, I’m very happy with my performance today.”

Next up for Nalbandian in the third round is fellow Argentine and No. 9 seed Juan Martin Del Potro, who was beating Jarkko Nieminen, 6-2, 4-2, when the Finland native withdrew with an injury. For the second year in a row, Nalbandian and Del Potro will square off in the third round in Madrid. Last year in the pair’s only career meeting, Nalbandian cruised to a, 6-2, 6-4 win over Del Potro. Del Potro is currently ranked No. 9 in the world, but last year when he played Nalbandian he was ranked at No. 53.

Currently ranked No. 8 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings and the current owner of three ATP singles title in 2008, Roddick easily took down Spaniard hopeful Tommy Robredo, 6-3, 6-4, in just over an hour. Roddick hammered 13 aces past Robredo, while winning 73 percent of first serve points and dropping only four points on his second serve throughout the match. The 26-year-old American who is looking to reach the year-end Tennis Masters Cup for the sixth time, next does battle against World No. 18 Gael Monfils of France. Monfils owns a 2-1 series edge against Roddick, winning the last two meetings, most recently though on clay in Austria in 2007.

For a second straight week, Davydenko hurt his bid for a spot in the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai, losing early again, this time falling in his opening match to American qualifier Robby Ginepri, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. No. 63 Ginepri became the lowest ranked player to beat the Russian since he lost to then No. 130 Gilles Muller in the fourth round of this year’s US Open. With the loss, Davydenko falls to 49-18, as he will have to wait until his next tournament to try and clinch a spot in the year-end tournament for the fourth straight year. Ginepri, who recently turned 26, improves to 24-17 on the year. Ginepri will next meet Frenchman Gilles Simon, who was a winner against James Blake on Tuesday.

In a match between two Spaniards, Feliciano Lopez got the better end of the deal as he stunned No. 6 Ferrer, 6-4, 7-6(4), in 98 minutes to advance to the third round. For the second straight year, Lopez stunned Ferrer in the second round in Madrid. Next up for Lopez is a third round meeting with Beijing Olympics doubles gold medallist and No. 10 seed Stanislas Wawrinka.


Other Winners on Wednesday in Madrid:
Second Round
No. 3 Novak Djokovic (SRB) def. (Q) Victor Hanescu (ROU), 6-7(8), 7-6(6), 3-1, ret.
No. 10 Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) def. Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER), 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(5)
No. 14 Ivo Karlovic (CRO) def. Robin Soderling (SWE), 7-6(7), 7-6(8)
No. 16 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) def. (Q) Marcel Granollers (ESP), 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(5)