Nadal: Winner in 2005

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The eighth ATP Masters Series tournament of the season is under way in Madrid and organisers can consider themselves satisfied as the tournament boasts every player in the Top 30 ATP rankings.

The last three winners are in the field, led by defending champion David Nalbandian, top two Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

There are four singles positions' remaining as the race to qualify for the Masters Cup in Shanghai intensifies.

Last year Nalbandian came into Madrid No. 33 in the Race and he captured the title along with Paris to finish No. 9.

The Argentine is in a similar position this year, and after Sunday's success in Stockholm, the 26-year-old will be looking to repeat last year's feat.

While four spots are up for grabs, the top 4 of Nadal, Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have already booked a place in next month's year-end championship.

Yet the quad elite will use Madrid to stamp their credentials on the penultimate Masters Series event of the season.

Top-half

Nadal, who received the No. 1 ranking trophy in front of a sell-out crowd at the Mutua Madrilena Masters Madrid on Sunday, is playing in his first tournament since losing to Murray at the semi-finals of the US Open last month.

But the Mallorca native is still in fine form after leading his country to the Davis Cup final three weeks ago, with wins over Sam Querrey and Andy Roddick.

The 22-year-old left-hander could wrap up the year-end No. 1 ranking in Madrid, depending on his and Federer's results as the Spaniard competes in his homeland with a tour-best 77-9 match record and eight titles.

Lying in wait for the reigning Wimbledon and French Open champion is Ernests Gulbis, who beat Nicolas Kiefer in his opening round match.

The first seed Nadal is due to face is No. 15 Richard Gasquet in the third round and in the quarterfinals Nadal could meet No. 6 David Ferrer or No. 10 Stanislas Wawrinka, all which the 22-year-old has winning head-to-head records against.

In the second quarter of the draw, No. 3 Djokovic is looking to go one round further than last year's semi-final defeat to Nalbandian as he takes aim on Federer's No 2 ranking.

The 21-year-old Serb trails the Swiss by 22 points in the Race and could overtake Federer by the end of the season.

Djokovic opens against the winner of Dmitry Tursunov and Victor Hanescu and the first seed he could play is No. 14 Ivo Karlovic in the third round.

In the quarterfinals, Djokovic could square off against No. 5 Nikolay Davydenko or No. 11 James Blake.

Bottom-half

In the bottom half of the draw, British hope's lie with No. 4 seed Murray, who was the last Masters Series victor after his triumph in Cincinnati in August and the Scot opens with the winner of Nicolas Almagro and Simone Bolelli.

The British No. 1's first seeded opponent is No. 13 Fernando Verdasco in the third round while he could encounter No. 8 Andy Roddick or No. 12 Fernando Gonzalez in the last eight.

Gonzalez has an 8-6 career mark in Madrid, reaching the final two years ago and quarterfinals in 2005 and last year while Roddick has a 2-4 lifetime record in Madrid.

In the last quarter of the draw, No. 2 Federer attempts to win his first Masters Series title of the year.

He has an impressive 14-3 lifetime record in Madrid, winning two years ago and reaching the final last year.

However, the Swiss is posed with a tricky opening encounter against Radek Stepanek, who has already beaten the US Open champion this year.

Should Federer progress, he could face No. 16 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the third round and Argentine duo Nalbandian and Juan Martin del Potro, seeded No 7 and 9 respectively, potentially await in the quarters.

Nalbandian has a tough draw if he is to lock horns with Federer - having to face the Rainer Schuettler-Tomas Berdych winner and then possibly his countryman del Potro in the third round.

If the 26-year-old Stockholm winner manages to go the distance again, he become the first player to defend his title since the tournament's brief history began in 2002.