By Erik Gudris

Photo Credit: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

(May 10, 2012) When you can upstage Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer on the same day at the Madrid Mutua Open, then you must have done something spectacular. Or in the case of Fernando Verdasco, something spectacular and cringe-worthy all at the same time.

Make no mistake. Verdasco's triumph over Rafael Nadal in Madrid today in their third round clash that finally put an end to Nadal's 13 straight wins over his friend and fellow Davis Cup teammate is one of the biggest wins of his career (maybe the biggest) and could potentially be a watershed moment not only for him, but the entire tournament based on what Nadal had to say afterwards.

But first the match itself. Though both men had just met a few weeks ago in the semifinals of Barcelona with Nadal winning handily, this match had a very different air to it. With Nadal still not comfortable moving on the new blue clay of Madrid and the fact that Verdasco would likely feel the pressure of playing in his hometown against the greatest Spanish player of all time, there was a sense that today's encounter might go the way of their dreadful match in the Round of 16 in Cincinnati last year that Nadal barely won in three laborious tiebreak sets.

And so it did. There were errors galore at the start of the opening set, but moments of fine play too as it was Verdasco who looked more confident as he went after his serves, hit 15 winners and closed out the set with an ace. But Verdasco's form wasn't expected to last and, as if on cue, it was Nadal who regrouped in the second set while Verdasco was the one who now looked unsure.

When Verdasco double faulted to hand Nadal the second set 6-3 and after Nadal jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the third set, it appeared the reigning French Open champion had the match in hand. But after he hit a forehand smash into the net at 15-all, it was now Nadal who seemed less sure of himself as Verdasco broke serve, served a brilliant game and then broke Nadal at love to even the set at 5-all.

A final set tiebreak, as in Cincinnati, felt like the inevitable and only merciful end to the match that went into a fourth hour and saw both men hit a combined 82 unforced errors. But it was Nadal, serving to force a tiebreak at 5-6, who couldn't quite find enough championship form when it mattered as Verdasco hit a final forehand winner to win on his second match point 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 to earn his first ever victory over Nadal and to give Nadal his first loss on clay in 23 matches.

Though he gave Verdasco full credit afterwards in his post-match press conference, Nadal minced no words about his displeasure with the blue clay and the tournament's courts. "I tried my best to prepare but I wasn't good enough to adapt my game to this court," Nadal said. "The only thing that I know is that if things continue like this I am very sad but next year will be one less tournament in my calendar."

Strong words from Nadal and it was repeated in a similar fashion by defending champion Djokovic after he saw off Stanislas Wawrinka 7-6, 6-4 in the final night match. "You are tripping and slipping and sliding all the time and winner will be the one who doesn't get hurt until the end of the week because a lot of players fell down," Djokovic said. "Generally it's a new experience and the way it looks this year hopefully the last experience."

Roger Federer looked more at ease on the main court, but that might have been because he was playing Richard Gasquet, a man he's only lost to twice. Federer glided past the Frenchman 6-3, 6-2 in just under an hour and will next meet David Ferrer who survived his own three-set battle against another Spaniard Nicolas Almagro 7-6, 3-6, 7-6.

Despite all the growing controversy over Madrid's blue courts, the day belonged to Verdasco who now must try and savor his victory as best he can tonight as he'll have to get back on the main court tomorrow to face Tomas Berdych in the next round.