Andy Murray's on his way to slaying clay demons

Andy Murray likes to tie up loose ends, making today's Monte Carlo Masters clash with Fabio Fognini that much more difficult for the Italian world No108.

The pair have met just once professionally, with Fognini winning 6-2, 6-2 in Montreal two years ago in the British No1's first tournament after overcoming the back and wrist injuries which sidelined him for the French Open and Wimbledon.

The pair, born nine days apart in May 1987 with Murray the senior, first came across each other at junior level, after the world No4 completed his tennis education on clay in Barcelona and began playing events on what has become his least successful surface.

However, if he can gain revenge over Fognini, who has fallen from a ranking high of 66 last year due to injury problems, Murray will claim a place in his first quarter-final on clay.

That would be a significant achievement for the new Miami Masters champion who is already a force on hard courts and is handy on grass, leaving clay the last surface to be mastered.

The Scotsman is making a dramatic impact on the game, racing up the rankings and amassing nearly £7million in prize money while his rival today has banked £500,000.

Murray is happy with his early form in Monte Carlo but wary of Fognini, who accounted for smart Croat Marin Cilic 6-2, 6-0 in the previous round.

World No1 Rafael Nadal began his bid for a record fifth successive Monte Carlo title with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Juan Ignacio Chela and if Murray keeps on winning, the pair are scheduled to meet in the semi-finals.

Second seed Roger Federer, who has lost the last three Monte Carlo Finals to the Spaniard, advanced to the third round with a straight-sets win over Italy's Andreas Seppi but Juan Martin del Potro, of Argentina, crashed out.

Nadal faces qualifier Nicolas Lapentti in the third round after the Ecuadorian won an astonishing three-and-a-half-hour match against former world No1 Marat Safin 7-6, 2-6, 7-6.

The Russian was 4-0 and 5-2 up in the deciding set but Lapentti kept battling, saving a match point in a dramatic ninth game that was halted for a number of minutes when a spectator collapsed. Federer, who married long-time girlfriend Mirka Vavrinec at the weekend, overcame a shaky start to beat Seppi 6-4, 6-4.

Federer had never dropped a set to the Italian in four previous meetings but was slow to find his rhythm in the 83-minute clash.

"I thought it was a pretty good start on clay," said Federer. "It's a matter of getting used to it and not making too many errors. It was frustrating at times but I had a good stretch at the end of the first set and the beginning of the second. I'm happy I'm through."

Federer now faces 13th seed and Swiss compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka, who was made to dig deep and work hard for his 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 over Argentina's Martin Vassallo Arguello.

Del Potro came into the tournament on a high after beating Nadal to reach the semi-finals in Miami and climb to fifth in the world rankings but he was brought crashing down to earth by wild card Ivan Ljubicic.

The 30-year-old Croatian registered a 4-6 6-1 6-4 victory. Twelfth seed David Nalbandian battled back from a set down to beat Spain's Marcel Granollers 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.