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Nadal and title holder Djokovic go through

  • Story Highlights
  • World number one Rafael Nadal makes winning start to Masters Series event
  • Defending Indian Wells champion Novak Djokovic also safely through
  • Women's top seed Dinara Safina reachee last 16 of WTA tournament
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(CNN) -- World number one Rafael Nadal needed a little over an hour to thrash Michael Berrer of Germany 6-2 6-1 in his opener at the Masters Series tournament at Indian Wells.

Nadal hooks a trademark forehand during his routine win over Berrer.

Nadal hooks a trademark forehand during his routine win over Berrer.

The 22-year-old Spaniard dropped just five points on serve during the 67-minute match and grabbed five of his 14 break point opportunities to wrap up a routine second round win.

Nadal, who received a first round bye, will next play Russian Dmitry Tursunov, who struggled to a 7-6 4-6 6-3 win over American qualifier Michael Russell in an earlier match on Sunday.

Nadal, beaten by Novak Djokovic in last year's semifinals in California, is looking to reclaim the title he won in 2007 and was happy with his form.

"For me it was perfect," he said.

"I played a very comfortable match. I had the break in the first game of both sets. That's really important. I felt well on the court, playing good."

Third seed Novak Djokovic also enjoyed a straight sets 7-5 6-4 win against Martin Vassallo Arguello of Argentina.

Djokovic is finding form after a slow start to the season and was boosted by his win in Dubai last month.

"Winning Dubai meant a lot for my confidence level and for my game overall," he told the official tournament Web site www.bnpparibasopen.org.

"I've changed my racket. Probably that was the big reason for mental instability in certain stages at the start of the year. I was thinking about that more than my game. Luckily for me, it has changed."

Seventh-seed Andy Roddick battled to a 6-3 7-6 win over Austrian qualifier, but ninth-ranked Gael Monfils of France made a shock exit to American John Isner, who won 6-7 6-4 6-4.

In the accompanying WTA tournament at the same venue, top seed Dinara Safina won her third round match.

The Russian, who can go top of the world rankings by reaching the final, beat Peng Shuai of China, 7-5 6-4.

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