Andy Murray returns to the clay for the first time in nearly on

MADRID - Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal breezed into the Madrid Open third round with their title defences facing little strain on Wednesday, while Andy Murray made a successful return to clay after nearly a years absence. Williams broke Shuai Peng three times in a 6-2, 6-3 win that was her 14th straight on the clay of the Magic Box tennis centre, where the top-seeded American dominated her Chinese opponent on serve by firing 11 aces. Williams, who moves on to face Spanish player Carla Suarez Navarro, looked fresh and focused while dismissing any injury fears despite a heavily wrapped left leg. "I just had some issues and went preventive to make sure I didnt make anything worse," said Williams. "Im literally taking it one day, one match at a time, and not putting any pressure on myself." Nadal, meanwhile, certainly fed his confidence with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Juan Monaco of Argentina, just what the top-seeded Spaniard needed after coming to the Spanish capital on his worst clay run in a decade. Nadal, the greatest ever player on the red surface, failed to advance past the quarterfinals of his last two clay tournaments. But after Monaco broke to get to within 2-1, Nadal did not relent as he didnt drop another game at Manolo Santana centre court. "Each victory helps to raise your confidence," Nadal said. "I started a little nervously in my movement. I think I moved better and played well, better than I normally play on the clay. I was dominating over the points and playing very well. "I think Ive done positive things." Nadals hopes of winning a second clay event after his triumph in Rio de Janeiro this year were bolstered on Tuesday when Australian Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka lost and Roger Federer withdrew for the birth of his second set of twins. Second-ranked Novak Djokovic was absent to injury. "I didnt even get to the necessary round to face them at the last tournaments," said Nadal, dismissing his chances despite the marquee absentees. "Every rival is difficult." Nadal, who faces Jarrko Nieminen of Finland next, could be on course to meet Murray in the semifinals after the Scot overcame Nicolas Almagro in a 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 victory. Murray, who won the event in 2008 when it was held on hardcourt, hadnt played on clay since Rome last year but looked at ease in taking the first set. But Almagro rallied to force a deciding set, which Murray won when his Spanish opponent slapped a backhand wide down the line for a 39th unforced error. Also, Tomas Berdych moved to a perfect 11-0 against Kevin Anderson following his 6-1, 6-4 win over the South African, while American John Isner was also victorious in his second round match. Eleventh-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was beaten 6-4, 6-3 by Colombian player Santiago Giraldo, who was coming off his appearance in the Barcelona final. In other womens results, third-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland and No. 4 Simona Halep of Romania both advanced, while Roberta Vinci of Italy knocked out Caroline Wozniacki 6-3, 6-3. Andy Murray returns to the clay for the first time in nearly one year later Wednesday against Nicolas Almagro. David Ferrer, the next highest remaining seed after Nadal at No. 5, faces John Isner. Dalton Risner Womens Jersey . Huntington doesnt want to help run the club unless Hurdle is in the dugout. The combination thats returned the franchise to respectability will remain intact for years to come. Courtland Sutton Youth Jersey . Costa Rica followed up its wins over Uruguay and Italy by holding England to a dour 0-0 draw on Tuesday, enough to finish first in Group D. http://www.thebroncosstoreonline.com/You...ncos-Jerseys/.m. ET, CBSOPENING LINE — Packers by 3RECORD VS. SPREAD — New England 7-4, Green Bay 5-5-1SERIES RECORD — Tied 5-5. Shannon Sharpe Jersey . LOUIS -- Alexander Steen scored a power-play goal with 59. Gary Zimmerman Broncos Jersey . -- Miguel Angel Jimenez quickly shifted his focus back to the Ryder Cup after winning his first Champions Tour event.ARLINGTON, Texas -- The AL West-leading Oakland As arrived in Texas hoping to win the series. They did a whole lot more than that. After their starting pitcher was scratched only an hour before the game, and their top slugger also was taken out of the lineup, the Athletics kept winning. Tommy Milone threw five solid innings and Oakland hit three home runs in a 5-1 win Sunday to complete a three-game sweep of the chasing and slumping Texas Rangers. "I dont know that we could have asked much more than that," manager Bob Melvin said. "Once you win two games, you want to get greedy and we had some things pop up before the game." Even without right-hander Jarrod Parker and Yoenis Cespedes, Oakland took a commanding 6 1/2-game division lead with two weeks left after the final regular-season series between the AL Wests top two teams. The As have won five in a row and 13 of 16 overall. "We came in and won the games," said Josh Donaldson, who hit one of the homers. "Great baseball all the way around for our team." Chris Young and Josh Reddick also homered for Oakland, which finished a 5-1 trip and opens its final homestand of the regular season Monday against the Los Angeles Angels. Texas lost its sixth in a row, all at home and never leading in any of them, and is 2-11 in September after beginning the month with a two-game lead. Coupled with a sweep by Pittsburgh, this was the Rangers first winless homestand of at least six games since moving to Texas in 1972. "Just as quickly as it started, it can turn around. Its got to," general manager Jon Daniels said. "Were in a pretty congested wild-card race right now." The Rangers and Tampa Bay are tied for the two AL wild-card spots in a rapidly tightening race. Cleveland, Baltimore, the Yankees and Kansas City are all within 3 1/2 games of Texas and the Rays. Texas starts a four-game series at Tropicana Field on Monday. "Im not frustrated with the way we played," manager Ron Washington, putting emphasis on how he felt about the Oakland series. "In the first game, we had chances. The second day, we had chances in a 1-0 ball game. ... It wasnt like they came in and dominated and we didnt have chances." Milone (11-9) struck out five and allowed only one run after Parker was scratched because of illness. &quoot;Hes pitched once in 14 days and has to go up against the lineup, in this ballpark, and gives us five innings and one run.dddddddddddd That was pretty spectacular," Melvin said. The left-hander, recalled Sept. 3 from Class A Stockton for his third stint with the As this season, made his first career relief appearance Wednesday night. Cespedes was batting fourth as the DH in the original As lineup, but didnt play because of right shoulder soreness. Melvin said the slugger would have an MRI on Monday. Coco Crisp and Chris Young had consecutive singles off rookie left-hander Martin Perez (9-5) to start the game. Crisp scored on a nifty double play, when second baseman Ian Kinsler went up the middle and without touching the ball with his hand scooped it with his glove to shortstop Elvis Andrus, who made a barehanded grab and relay throw. Donaldson extended his hitting streak to 11 games with his 23rd homer for a 2-0 lead. Young hit a two-out solo homer in the third, Reddick hit a two-run homer in the ninth. Perez allowed three runs and seven hits over 6 1-3 innings. A.J. Pierzynski had an RBI single in the first, but had an infield popout to end the seventh with two runners on base. That was the third time in four innings the Rangers stranded two runners, including Kinsler taking a called third strike to end the fourth. Milone was 0-4 with a 5.67 ERA his previous five career starts against the Rangers, losing twice earlier this season when allowing 17 hits and 12 runs over nine innings. But he didnt know he was pitching against them again until about an hour before taking the mound. "I think it kind of helped, I didnt really think about it too much," Milone said. "By time I officially heard, it was just get ready and go." NOTES: Melvin said there was a chance Parker could start Monday. Parker is 9-0 in his last 19 starts since a loss at Texas on May 22, the longest winning streak by an Oakland pitcher since Dan Haren won 10 in a row in 2008. The last Athletics pitcher with a longer unbeaten streak was Lefty Groves 21 starts in a row without a loss in 1931. ... The Rangers have gone six games without