RAFAEL NADAL lost the first four games but came back to clobber Thomas Belluci of Brazil, 7-6 (0), 6-2, 6-3, on Wednesday, Manila time, in the first round of the Wimbledon Championships.
The second seed and two-time Wimbledon champion from Spain was two points from losing the fifth game but recovered to break Belluci’s serve and seize control.
Britain’s Andy Murray, the fourth seed, dominated Nikolay Davydenko, breaking the Russian’s serve and holding his own serving games en route to a 6-1, 6-1, 6-4 victory.
Fifth seed Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga downed Lleyton Hewitt of Australia, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4; ninth seed Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina overcame Robin Haase of the Netherlands, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 7-5; and No. 10 Mardy Fish of the US downed Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo of Spain, 7-6 (3), 7-5, 7-6 (1).
In women’s play, No. 2 Victoria Azarenka and defending champion Petra Kvitova won their opening matches in straight sets.
Azarenka of Belarus downed Irina Falconi of the US, 6-1, 6-4, while Kvitova of the Czech republic, seeded fourth, downed Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan, 6-4, 6-4.
Four-time champion Serena Williams beat Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic, 6-2, 6-4.
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