By Lauren Lynch
Photo Credit: Mark Howard

(March 28, 2011) World No. 1 Rafael Nadal took out compatriot and friend Feliciano Lopez in strait sets 6-3, 6-3 to end the day session at the Sony Ericsson Open and Miami finalist Tomas Berdych started the day with the defeat of Carlos Berlocq 7-6, 7-5.

Nadal will play one of the winners of the night matches between Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Alexandr Dolgopolov. Tomas Berdych faces Florian Mayer. 27-year-old and World no. 37 Florian Mayer had an impressive win against 11th seed Nicolas Almagro 6-1, 3-6, 6-1.

Nadal said of Lopez, "For me the important thing is play my best tennis. If it's like this, I know it gonna be difficult match because he has a very good serve, good volley, and he's aggressive player, very dangerous, but playing very well I have my chances. I have to play aggressive with my forehand, try to move him, and go to the net when I have the chance. Similar than every time, but always every match is different and always a difficult one."

He was asked if it is difficult to play good friends and he replied, "I think nothing change, because when you are on court, you're on court. You compete, and is nothing new for us. This is ninth time against each other. We are very, very good friends. We had dinner yesterday together, so this is normal. That's the sport. That's competition. One player have to win; other one have to lose. And accept both things, no? We were talking in the locker room."