Wimbledon Day one: Nadal advances to next round 6-4, 6-2, 6-2
In keeping with tradition, the defending men's champion played the first match on Center Court and top-ranked Spaniard Rafael Nadal put on a worthy performance for the start of the 125th edition of the Wimbledon championships.
Up against the 91st-ranked American Michael Russell, Nadal, coming off his sixth French Open title and 10th overall Grand Slam championship, double-faulted to go down a break 4-2 in the first set.
But he then ran off six straight games to take the set and go up a break in the second. Nadal was in total command the rest of the way against Russell, taking it 3-0.
V. Williams beat Amanmuradova 6-3, 6-1
In the women's singles, Venus Williams, who returned to action at Eastbourne last week after an injury lay-off of nearly five months, looked right at home as she beat Uzbek Akgul Amanmuradova 6-3, 6-1.
Willliams took the game with her hard-hitting all-court game. She served seven aces, broke four times and had 23 winners to only five unforced errors.
Kuznetsova defeat Zhang Shuai 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
In another match-up, two-time Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova took on Chinese Zhang Shuai. The 12th seeded Russian handed over the opening set at 6-3 due to consecutive errors.
The experienced veteran fought back in the second set, leading the game at 3-0. Although Zhang chased up at 5-3, she lost it at 6-3.
The Russian continued her domination in the decisive set, taking a strong advantage at 5-1. Despite takin! g back t hree consecutive games at 5-4, Zhang finally lost the match 6-4.
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