RIO DE JANEIRO - Rafael Nadal showed no problem with his tender back in his second match since returning from the injury, defeating fellow Spaniard Albert Montanes 6-1, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals of the Rio Open on Thursday. Elite Mike Evans Womens Red Jersey . The No. 1-ranked Nadal tweaked his back warming up for the Australian Open final, which he lost almost four weeks ago in a major upset against Stanislas Wawrinka. His first stop after the layoff is the clay in Rio as he tests the back and tries to stay healthy for the French Open in three months. A year ago he used the Latin American swing to test his recovery from an injured left knee. Nadal seemed to move freely against Montanes and wore a large, blue elastic bandage on his lower back as a precaution. "The back, well, its bothering me a little," Nadal said. "Right now its not hurting my game, but Im serving a little more gently than Im used to doing." Nadal said he pushed his recovery "a little bit" to play in Rio, after pulling out of the tournament the week before in Buenos Aires. "I am here and very happy being here," he said. "When you get an injury in the final of a Grand Slam, and you stop (playing/practicing) for 2 1/2 weeks, the comeback is not easy." Asked if nagging injuries might force an early retirement, the 27-year-old joked a bit before getting serious. "I cant predict the future, but my intention is to play many years," he said. In the other key mens match, third-seeded Fabio Fognini reached the last eight beating Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay 7-6 (1), 4-6, 6-3. Second-seeded David Ferrer advanced on Wednesday. Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine advanced to his second quarterfinals of the year, beating Facundo Bagnis of Argentina 6-7 (4), 6-2, 7-6 (4). Dolgopolov said he hadnt considered leaving the tournament to return to his Kyiv birthplace, where more than 100 people have died in anti-government protests this week. Government snipers killed at least 70 on Thursday. "Its sad. I cant do much, but just support," he said. "Whoever is right doesnt matter now when people are dying." Dolgopolov, who lives in the wealthy European enclave of Monte Carlo, said he was lucky to have the chance to make money playing tennis. "Obviously I would like the people in the (Ukraine) to feel better. If I could, I would change that," he said. On the womens side of the combined ATP-WTA event, fifth-seeded Kurumi Nara of Japan and Lourdes Dominguez Lino of Spain set up a quarterfinal matchup after second-round wins. Nara defeated Anna-Lena Friedsam of Germany 6-0, 7-6 (3), and was in sight of her first WTA semifinals. Dominguez Lino beat Chanelle Scheepers of South Africa 2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-1. Nara said she likes the hot weather in Rio and is getting used to the clay. "Now I like the clay court," she said. "Last year, I didnt like it." Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania also made the last eight, as did Brazils Teliana Pereira. She is the first Brazilian woman in 23 years to crack the WTAs top 100. The last was Andrea Vieira. Brazils most famous womens player is Maria Bueno, who won seven Grand Slams singles titles, the last at the US Open in 1966. Gerald McCoy Womens Jersey . -- Quinn OBrien scored three times in the third period as the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies beat the host Chicoutimi Sagueneens 7-3 on Friday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Clinton McDonald Womens Jersey . Five first-round trades were made Tuesday night as well as another involving an early second-round selection.INDIANAPOLIS -- Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti had surgery Monday on his broken right ankle. It was the second operation on his ankle since Franchitti was injured Oct. 6 in an accident on the last lap of the Grand Prix of Houston. He also fractured two vertebrae and suffered a concussion. IndyCar orthopedic consultant Dr. Terry Trammel said Mondays surgery lasted just over three hours and was to repair the talus bone in Franchittis ankle. The talus bone connects the leg and the foot. The surgery was performed by Dr. Tim Weber, who told Trammel it "went perfectly and just as planned." "His post-operation X-rays looked great. Everything is positive at this point as Dario continues his recovery," Trammel said. Franchittis accident occurred when contact with Takuma Sato sent his car sailiing into the fence. Doug Martin Womens Jersey. Debris from the accident injured 13 fans and one IndyCar official. Franchitti, from Scotland, is a four-time IndyCar champion. He was moved from a Houston hospital last Thursday to Indianapolis and Target Chip Ganassi Racing released a photo of him before the trip that showed him smiling, surrounded by his two dogs, and aided by a walker. His right leg was in a cast and he was wearing a heavy brace around his torso. In Indianapolis, hes been visited by teammate Scott Dixon. A photo posted over the weekend by Dixons wife showed the couple and their two daughters posing next to a smiling Franchitti in his hospital bed. Franchitti will miss Saturday nights season finale at Fontana, where Dixon will try to win his third IndyCar championship. Alex Tagliani will drive Franchittis car. ' ' '
