Rafael Nadal Recovers From Slow Start

Written by: Staff on 26th June 2012

Rafael Nadal Recovers From Slow Start

epa03282413 Rafael Nadal of Spain serves to Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil during their first round match for the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 26 June 2012. EPA/ANDY RAIN |

(Original Story: http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2012/06/26/Wimbledon-Tuesday-Nadal-Beats-Bellucci.aspx)

Second seed Rafael Nadal, the 2008 and 2010 Wimbledon champion, recorded his 50th grass-court match win after overcoming a slow start at The Championships on Tuesday to beat Thomaz Bellucci 7-6(0), 6-2, 6-3 on Centre Court.

Nadal, who recovered from 0-4 deficit in the first set, hit six aces and 35 winners, converting six of nine break point opportunities in two hours and 15 minutes. The Spaniard improved to 69-6 against fellow left-handers and to 36-6 at Wimbledon.

“I think today I didn’t play my best match,” admitted Nadal. “I think especially in the first set, I played [a] little bit too nervous – not knowing exactly what to do. My movement was a little bit in [a] defensive way, [but] not in aggressive way. [In] the second and third sets I played better, even if I had a big mistake in the third at 2-0, 30/0. I felt in that moment I started to hit better the forehand. That’s the most important thing for me.”

The 26-year-old Nadal is bidding to become just the second man in the Open Era (after Bjorn Borg) to win the Roland Garros-Wimbledon title double on three occasions. Borg did it from 1978-80.

Nadal will next meet Czech Lukas Rosol, who withstood 27 aces from Ivan Dodig of Croatia in a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(0), 7-5 victory in two hours and 40 minutes.

Philipp Kohlschreiber, the No. 27 seed, won an all-German battle against Tommy Haas to avenge his Gerry Weber Open semi-final loss 11 days ago. Kohlschreiber triumphed 3-6, 7-6(8), 6-7(5), 7-6(1), 6-2 and goes onto face Tunisian Malek Jaziri, a 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 9-7 victor over Jurgen Zopp of Estonia.

Topics: 10sballs.com, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Rafael Nadal, Sports, Tennis News, Thomaz Bellucci, Wimbledon 2012