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There are some things in life that require little explanation. Yes, Rafael Nadal leads our latest clay rankings.

Top-ranked Novak Djokovic edged Roger Federer on Saturday to set up another meeting with rival Rafael Nadal in the Italian Open final.

Defending champion Maria Sharapova defeated rising German player Angelique Kerber 6-3, 6-4 Saturday to reach the Italian Open final.

Serena Williams withdrew from the Italian Open with a lower back injury shortly before she was scheduled to meet French Open champion Li Na in the semifinals on Saturday.

A week after Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal lost in the Madrid quarterfinals on an experimental blue court, both showed they remain a force on red clay Friday by reaching the Italian Open semifinals.

Top-ranked Novak Djokovic overcame a poor first set and a smashed racket to beat Juan Monaco 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 and reach the Italian Open quarterfinals on Thursday.

ROME -- Top-ranked Novak Djokovic made a solid return to red-clay courts, dominating Australian teenager Bernard Tomic 6-3, 6-3 Tuesday night to open his Italian Open title defense.

Serena Williams cruised past No. 2 Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-3 Friday to advance to the Madrid Open semifinals along with top-ranked Victoria Azarenka.

Roger Federer rallied to beat Milos Raonic 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (4) at the Madrid Open on Wednesday to narrowly avoid his earliest tournament exit in two years.

Rafael Nadal became the first player in the Open Era to win two tournaments seven times after beating David Ferrer 7-6 (1), 7-5 in Sunday's Barcelona Open final.

Six-time champion Rafael Nadal defeated Fernando Verdasco 6-0, 6-4 Saturday to ease into the Barcelona Open final, where he will face fellow Spaniard David Ferrer for a fourth time.

Rafael Nadal dispatched Janko Tipsarevic 6-2, 6-2 Friday to advance to the Barcelona Open semifinals, while Milos Raonic served 14 aces and upset second-seeded Andy Murray 6-4, 7-6 (3).

Rafael Nadal overcame a sore knee to open his bid for a seventh Barcelona Open title with an easy 6-1, 6-2 win over Guillermo Garcia Lopez in the second round Wednesday.

Ah, the many manifestations of clay. We'll find out what kind of mark it leaves on the game's top 12 players in the coming days.

David Ferrer secured defending champion Spain a place in the Davis Cup semifinals by beating Austria's Jurgen Melzer 7-5, 6-3, 6-3 in Sunday's reverse singles for an insurmountable 3-1 lead.

Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek won their 10th Davis Cup doubles for the Czech Republic to take a 2-1 lead over Serbia in their quarterfinal on Saturday.