As victories go it was a breeze for Rafael Nadal against Japan’s Kei Nishikori in the first round of Wimbledon on Tuesday but it was the Spaniard’s ecstatic reaction that told the real story.
After rifling a smash deep into the other side of Centre Court to complete a 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 win he ripped off his white headband, thumped the net tape with his yellow racket, clenched his fists and looked skywards with his eyes closed.
Two years on from that unforgettable Sunday evening when his swashbuckling tennis floored Roger Federer to win the 2008 title in near darkness, a beaming Nadal could hardly contain himself as the Centre Court crowd rose to salute him.
PHOTO: EPA
“I can tell you, I’m very happy how I played today,” Nadal, whose aching knees prevented him from being able to defend his title last year, told reporters.
“It’s always special to play on this court,” he said. “I’m happy to come back to this tournament and play in probably the most beautiful and emblematic court in the world.”
Nadal’s one blip in a performance full of searing winners was a dropped serve in the third set but he exacted swift retribution to swat aside the 20-year-old wildcard.
PHOTO: AFP
Make no mistake. The 24-year-old, looking sharp, eager and hungry despite a long claycourt grind, is here to reclaim the title that Federer snatched back last year.
British fourth seed Andy Murray and French Open runner-up Robin Soderling also sauntered through on Day Two.
Murray is the only home player left after another demoralizing day for British tennis but the Scot’s play during a 7-5, 6-1, 6-2 defeat of Czech Jan Hajek suggested “Andy-monium” could break out on Henman Hill next week.
Soderling, who could face Nadal in the last eight, dropped just seven games against Robby Ginepri.
Eleven Spanish men were in singles action on Tuesday but apart from Nadal, David Ferrer and Marcel Granollers, the rest all perished. Fernando Verdasco became the highest seed to fall in the men’s draw when the No.8 lost to Italy’s Fabio Fognini.
A quartet of Italian women reached the second round on Ladies Day with 10th seed Flavia Pennetta continuing the Spain-bashing with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Anabel Medina Garrigues. Romina Oprandi ended British hopes in the women’s draw, beating teenager Heather Watson 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.
Australian Anastasia Rodionova had earlier come from behind to beat Britain’s Anne Keothavong 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 but her fiery temper on court did not impress her opponent.
Keothavong, ranked 81 places below Rodianova at 155, was asked afterwards if it was difficult to keep her focus while her opponent “was losing her head.”
“It was tough. She’s what she is. She’s kind of renowned for some of her antics. But you just have to focus on yourself and get on with the match,” Keothavong said.
“I don’t want to speak badly about other players. That’s just the way she kind of deals with her emotions,” she said.
“But, like I said, I’ve got to stay focused and just get on with what I can control,” Keothavong said.
“She held her nerve better than I did. She’s the one who walks off the court with a win,” she said.
Third seed Caroline Wozniacki stopped the Italian charge with an impressive 6-1, 6-1 defeat of Tathiana Garbin and Maria Sharapova dazzled too, reminding everyone of the power that propelled her to the 2004 title with a 6-1, 6-0 thrashing of fellow Russian Anastasia Pivovarova.
Australian Samantha Stosur’s stay proved short-lived as the French Open runner-up and sixth seed here was sent packing 6-4, 6-4 by Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi.
Stosur’s defeat meant both French Open finalists had failed to survive the opening round here as Paris champion Francesca Schiavone made a hasty exit on Monday.
In other matches 18th seed Aravane Rezai of France, defeated Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia, 6-7 (8), 6-2, 7-5, while Australian Casey Dellacqua only 40 minutes as she was thrashed 6-1, 6-0 by Serbia’s Bojana Jovanovski.
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