Roger returned from his five-week break to beat Radek Stepanek (ATP 30), 6-3, 7-6 (6), yesterday in the second round of the Madrid Masters.

"I think I moved with a spring in my step. My feeling out there was positive and confident which is a good feeling to have in the first match which tends to be very tricky," Roger said after the match.

Roger had a perfect start and took a 3-0 lead as Stepanek's serve fell apart. But the world number 30 stepped up in the second set, winning all but one of the points on his first serve, and seized the advantage in the set decider. But our champ did what he can do so well: increase the pressure in critical moments. He rallied from a 5-3 deficit in the tiebreaker with some excellent shotmaking, including a backhand that landed in the far corner on match point. Roger went on to take the tie break 8-6 and the match in one hour and 26 minutes.