Nadal starts Monte Carlo defense with win

MONTE CARLO, Monaco, April 13 (UPI) -- Six-time reigning champion Rafael Nadal began his defense of his title at the Monte Carlo Masters Wednesday with a cakewalk over Finland's Jarkko Nieminen.

The top-ranked Spaniard called his 6-2, 6-2 second-round victory "a positive start." He allowed Nieminen no break points during the 69-minute match.

Nadal, 24, has won 33 straight matches at the Monaco tournament. He was 16 the last time he lost here.

His next opponent will be 13th-seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet on Thursday.

Scotsman Andy Murray, seeded third, also reached the third round by knocking off Czech wild card Radek Stepanek 6-1, 6-4. Murray will go up against 16th-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon Thursday.

In other matches, fourth-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer ousted compatriot Feliciano Lopez 6-2, 6-0; Spaniard Tommy Robredo upset sixth-seeded countryman Fernando Verdasco 6-4, 6-3; No. 7 Jurgen Melzer of Austria defeated Dutchman Robin Haase 3-6, 6-1, 6-2; No. 8 Frenchman Gael Monfils eliminated Spaniard Daniel Gimeno-Traver 7-5, 6-2; and No. 9 Spaniard Nicolas Almagro outlasted Argentine qualifier Maximo Gonzalez 6-7 (6-8), 7-5, 7-6 (12-10).

Also winning were Gasquet, Simon, No. 11 Serb Viktor Troicki, No. 15 Croat Marin Cilic and Portuguese qualifier Frederico Gil.

The winner of the $3.63 million event will earn $625,000.