MADRID, May 9 (Reuters) – Real Madrid have stubbornly refused to capitulate in recent weeks but La Liga leaders Barcelona finally have their fate in their own hands on Sunday and can secure a 22nd La Liga crown with victory at Atletico Madrid (1700 GMT).

Barca need two points from their remaining four matches to wrest the title back from their arch rivals, who have played a game more ahead of their trip to Espanyol on Saturday (2000), and meet an Atletico side who have already made sure of third place and a berth in the Champions League group stage.

MADRID (Reuters) – Real Madrid made sure Barcelona will have to wait at least until Sunday to wrap up a 22nd La Liga title when Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 200th goal for the club in a 6-2 win at home to nine-man Malaga on Wednesday.

Barca need two more points to wrest the league crown back from their arch rivals and secure a fourth title in five years and a win at third-placed Atletico Madrid on Sunday would be enough for Tito Vilanova’s side.

MADRID, May 8 (Reuters) – Real Madrid made sure Barcelona will have to wait at least until Sunday to wrap up a 22nd La Liga title when Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 200th goal for the club in a 6-2 win at home to nine-man Malaga on Wednesday.

Barca need two more points to wrest the league crown back from their arch rivals and secure a fourth title in five years and a win at third-placed Atletico Madrid on Sunday would be enough for Tito Vilanova’s side.

MADRID (Reuters) – Rafa Nadal avoided a similar fate to beaten world number one Novak Djokovic when he dismissed French young gun Benoit Paire 6-3 6-4 to claim a place in the third round of the Madrid Open on Wednesday.

Serb Djokovic fell to another promising youngster, Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov, in the second round of the Masters event on Tuesday but Nadal showed why he has the best record on clay in the pro era with a clinical display.

MADRID, May 8 (Reuters) – Rafa Nadal avoided a similar fate to beaten world number one Novak Djokovic when he dismissed French young gun Benoit Paire 6-3 6-4 to claim a place in the third round of the Madrid Open on Wednesday.

Serb Djokovic fell to another promising youngster, Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov, in the second round of the Masters event on Tuesday but Nadal showed why he has the best record on clay in the pro era with a clinical display.

MADRID (Reuters) – Victoria Azarenka lost her temper and was docked a point for smashing her racket on the way to a surprise 1-6 6-2 6-3 defeat by unseeded Russian Ekaterina Makarova in the Madrid Open second round on Wednesday.

The Belarussian world number three, runner-up in the last two editions of the premier clay event and coming back from an injury layoff, appeared firmly in control against her 24th-ranked opponent after cruising through the first set.

MADRID, May 8 (Reuters) – Victoria Azarenka lost her temper and was docked a point for smashing her racket on the way to a surprise 1-6 6-2 6-3 defeat by unseeded Russian Ekaterina Makarova in the Madrid Open second round on Wednesday.

The Belarussian world number three, runner-up in the last two editions of the premier clay event and coming back from an injury layoff, appeared firmly in control against her 24th-ranked opponent after cruising through the first set.

MADRID (Reuters) – Grigor Dimitrov has long been touted as the next Roger Federer but it may be the 21-year-old Bulgarian’s stunning win against world number one Novak Djokovic at the Madrid Open on Tuesday that finally catapults him into the big time.

An inspired Dimitrov battled through cramp and milked the raucous support of the fans at the clay Masters event in the Spanish capital, producing some breathtaking shots to oust the top-seeded Serbian in the second round and claim by far the biggest win of his career.

MADRID (Reuters) – World number one and defending champion Serena Williams continued her serene progress at the Madrid Open when she eased past Spanish wildcard Lourdes Dominguez Lino 6-2 7-5 in the second round on Tuesday.

Chasing a fourth title of the year and the 50th of her career, Williams had too much power for the slightly-built Dominguez Lino, who nonetheless managed to unsettle her illustrious opponent with some clever drop shots and lobs.

MADRID, May 7 (Reuters) – World number one and defending champion Serena Williams continued her serene progress at the Madrid Open when she eased past Spanish wildcard Lourdes Dominguez Lino 6-2 7-5 in the second round on Tuesday.

Chasing a fourth title of the year and the 50th of her career, Williams had too much power for the slightly-built Dominguez Lino, who nonetheless managed to unsettle her illustrious opponent with some clever drop shots and lobs.