BARCELONA: Andy Murray was yesterday anxiously awaiting the results of a scan on the elbow injury that has the potential to keep him from his place in this week's Barcelona Open.

The Monte Carlo Masters semifinalist, who played through the pain in a threehour marathon against Rafael Nadal (pic) on Sunday, had his right elbow analysed by doctors in the Catalan capital after driving the 600km from Monaco.

"I'm hopeful that it will be OK for tomorrow," said the world No 4, who is due to start play on Thursday at the Real Club de Tenis against either Belgium's Xavier Malisse or Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero.

"I haven't trained since Monte Carlo but hopefully it will be OK to do so tomorrow. Depending on how I feel, I'll then decide whether I play or not."

Murray will hope to make his fourth appearance at the tournament after winning just one match so far at the venue, in 2006.

Home hero and five-time champion Nadal arrived to the usual Barcelona fan adulation after winning his historic seventh straight trophy at Monte Carlo.

The king of clay missed the Barcelona event last year when he had to withdraw to have treatment on a knee injury.

Prior to that disappointment, he had won the last five editions.

"I will try my best this week in Barcelona, it's another historic tournament," said the world No 1.

Nadal will play the winner from the clash between fellow Spaniard Daniel Gimeno-Traver and Casablanca tournament winner Potito Starace of Italy.

For Nadal, the Barcelona Open is more than merely a warm-up for the French Open.

The top-ranked Spaniard, who skipped the event last year, will collect 500 points if he wins for the sixth time.

That would help hold off the challenge of second-ranked Novak Djokovic, who is still more than 3,000 points behind but is 24-0 in 2011 after winning four titles, including the Australian Open.

"Barcelona is not just training for Roland Garros. I can't think about Roland Garros now. I've got to play with more aggressiveness, serve better and finish off points with more authority and forcefulness," Nadal said.

"This is the only week I don't have to defend points. You have to think about winning them."

Nadal's seventh straight Monte Carlo Masters victory on Sunday was his fifth clay court title in a row since an early exit to Robin Soderling at the 2009 French Open.

The fivetime French Open champion is 27-0 on his current clay-court run, dropping only three sets along the way.

RESULTS

First round
Pablo Andujar (ESP) bt Gerard Granollers (ESP) 6-0, 6-1; Albert Montanes (ESP) bt Teimuraz Gabashvili (RUS) 6-2, 6-2; Albert Ramos (ESP) bt Reuben Ramirez Hidalgo (ESP) 7-6 (7-5), 7-5; Blaz Kavcic (SLO) bt Tobias Kamke (GER) 6-2, 6-3; Victor Hanescu (ROM) bt Andrey Golubev (KAZ) 6-3, 6-2; Robin Haase (NED) bt Flavio Cipolla (ITA) 6-4, 6-3; Santiago Giraldo (COL) bt Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) 7-5, 6-3; Marcel Granollers (ESP) bt Daniel Brands (GER) 7-5, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1; Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) bt Denis Istomin (UZB) 7-5, 6-3; Simone Vagnozzi (ITA) bt Fabio Fognini (ITA) 2-6, 4-2 retired; Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) bt Alex Kuznetsov (RUS) 6-2, 6-4; Benoit Paire (FRA) bt Pablo Carreno-Busta (ESP) 6-7 (7-9), 6-3, 6-2; Juan Monaco (ARG) bt Gregor Dimitrov (BUL) 6-4, 6-1; Kevin Anderson (RSA) bt Pablo Cuevas (URU) 7-5, 3-6, 6-4

KUALA LUMPUR: SMK Maxwell do not even have a proper playing space.

Yet, they overcame all odds to win the Under-18 Sentul zone hockey title at Tun Razak Stadium yesterday — reclaiming the title they won in 2009.

They showed no mercy as they handed SMK Segambut Jaya a 3-0 thrashing.

Their Under-15 team, meanwhile, lost to SMK Dato Ibrahim Yaakob (DIY) on penalty strokes in the third-placing match.

Defending Under-18 champions SMK Kepong Baru finished third when they thumped DIY 5-0.

"We have no field but we still managed to win," said Under-18 captain R. Arravindh. "

This win is very satisfying. Even more due to the difficulties we faced.

"The disappointment of finishing fourth last year motivated us. It was sad last year to miss out on the final on mere goal difference."

Maxwell were forced to train on the tennis court at the sports complex beside the school.

The sports complex belongs to the school but requires major refurbishment. Due to a lack of turfs in KL, the boys only get to train once a week on a proper surface.

Teams based in KL are forced to either play at Tun Razak or Pantai Stadium as the renovation works at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil have yet to be completed.

After winning the Sentul zone, Arravindh believes they have a reasonable chance of emerging champions of KL.

"I have seen several schools from the other zones play. We are mostly of the same standard. If we can keep our feet on the ground, we stand a decent chance," added Arravindh.

In the Under-15 category, Kepong Baru were made to work for the trophy as they battled to a 1-0 victory against Segambut Jaya.

RESULTS

Boys (Third/fourth)

U-15
DIY 0 Maxwell 0
(DIY won 1-0 on penalty flicks)

U-18
Kepong Baru 5 DIY 0

Boys (Final)

U-15
Kepong Baru 1 Segambut Jaya 0

U-18
Maxwell 3 Segambut Jaya 0

Girls (Final)

U-15
DIY 2 Bandar Baru Sentul 0

U-18
DIY 3 Raja Abdullah 0