Miami  - Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray made competent starts at the Miami masters with the Spanish top seed producing a crushing 6-2, 6-2 win over Teimuraz Gabashvili on Saturday.

Nadal claimed his 22nd victory of the season against just two losses in the rout of the Russian. He was joined as a winner by sixth seed Juan Del Potro, who beat Argentine Marcello Vassallo Arguello by a similar score.

Murray took a set to get adjusted to the baseline backboard game of Juan Monaco before emerging from his first meeting with the Argentine a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 winner.

Buenos Aires  - Argentina coach Diego Maradona on Saturday praised Lionel Messi for his performance in the 4-0 win over Venezuela in Buenos Aires.

"Seeing Messi like this everyday is a pleasure. We should all leave the stadium, pay for another ticket and go in again," Maradona said.

Messi - who for the first time wore the number 10 Argentina jersey that was once worn by Maradona himself - was the man of the match in the resounding win. The Barcelona striker scored a goal and was decisively involved in two others.

Buenos Aires  - Lionel Messi rose to the challenge of wearing the historic number 10 Argentina jersey by leading his side to a comfortable 4-0 win over Venezuela Saturday in Buenos Aires, in Diego Maradona's official debut as Argentine national team coach.

Argentina thus redressed its course in the South American qualifiers towards the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and now stand second on 19 points from 11 games, four points ahead of leader Paraguay.

Madrid  - European champions Spain increased their lead at the top of World Cup qualifying Group 5 on Saturday, with a tight 1-0 defeat of Turkey in Madrid.

Spain won thanks to the first international goal of Gerard Pique - and thanks to several sharp saves from Iker Casillas, arguably the world's best goalkeeper at the moment.

Turkey dominated the first half, but the hosts improved after the interval and took control in midfield.

Miami - Andy Murray took a set to get adjusted to the baseline backboard game of Juan Monaco before emerging from his first meeting with the Argentine a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 winner at the Miami Masters on Saturday.

The fourth seed from Britain, losing finalist last weekend at Indian Wells to Rafael Nadal, had his troubles in the first set as 59th-ranked Monaco got everything back and broke Murray twice in the process.