With only a fortnight away from the tennis event of the Beijing Olympic Games, the top players in the world have stepped up the gear towards the showcase event.
The Spaniards, who have claimed gold medals in every Olympics since the sport came back into the Olympic family in 1988, have hit top form as they notched up two titles at the weekend, with their men's ace Rafael Nadal claiming the Toronto Masters and women's doubles team Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual taking the Slovenia Open.
The 22-year-old Nadal, who has ranked No. 2 for a record 157 weeks, will become the new No. 1 next Sunday if he wins the title at the Masters series in Cincinnati and the current world number one Roger Federer loses before the semifinals.
"Every player wants to be No. 1, I would love to be No. 1, but I am No. 2 right now," said Nadal, having played men's doubles with Carlos Moya at Athens four years ago.
"I'm very happy for being No. 2. Because with my titles, with my points, in a normal situation I would have been No. 1 before. So I think I have to be happy, very happy anyway. Because if I am No. 2 it's because in front of me there is amazing player like Roger (Federer)."
The bull like youngster needed only one hour and 29 minutes to overcome German Nicolas Kiefer 6-3, 6-2 in the Toronto final.
Nadal, despite placing the Olympics in the second to Grand Slams, has aimed to make a major step towards the Golden Slam consisting of all four Grand Slams plus a gold medal of the Olympics. He will head a strong line-up including fourth-ranked David Ferrer, Nicolas Almagro (12th) and Tommy Robredo (16th). Nadal will also play doubles with Robredo.
"Well, it's always a special tournament, and there are special feelings because you are representing your country. It's very different from the regular tournaments on the tour. You are in the Olympic Village, so it's always very nice to be with the rest of the sportsmen of the world," Nadal told the ITF's official website.
After winning 29 straight matches since early May, Nadal has become one of the heavy favorites for the men's title.
The winning streak brought him his first title at Masters Series Hamburg, his fourth successive Roland Garros title and his first grass-court title at Queen's Club, and most importantly, the Wimbledon where Swiss world number one Roger Federer have won five times.
While in the contrast, Federer's crown has lost its lustre and a shiny medal of Olympic gold would be very welcome for the king of men's tennis.
After being thrashed by Nadal in the French Open final, the Swiss maestro lost again at Wimbledon to the Spaniard who won a five-set epic on Federer's Centre Court fortress.
The world number one turns 27 on the day of the Beijing opening ceremony and he will have to rediscover his A-game after also suffering a surprise defeat in the Toronto Masters to France's Gilles Simon.
"It's important to stay positive. The hard court season just started. It's the start of, what is it, nine months of hard court? It's not the end of the world, but I wish it could have started better, I've got to regroup and look forward," Federer told ATP's official website.
"The bigger picture is the Olympic Games and the US Open. Those are the places where I want to win."