Déjà vu for 2008 champ Nadal
Spaniard found himself in familiar position
WIMBLEDON, England – Trying to switch directions while chasing a shot beneath the Royal Box at Wimbledon’s Centre Court, Rafael Nadal lost his footing and took a nasty-looking spill, flinging his racket in the air while he fell.
The Spaniard was OK, even if he did land on his back behind the baseline and glanced overhead to make sure his equipment wasn’t going to nail him in the noggin. Nadal toweled off and, four games later, wrapped up a 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Japan’s Kei Nishikori in the first round at the All England Club.
It was merely a coincidence, of course, that Nadal’s third-set tumble Tuesday left him in nearly the same position, and in the same spot, that he found himself the last time he played a match at Wimbledon, almost two full years ago. Except on that occasion, he was dropping to the grass on purpose to celebrate beating Roger Federer in the 2008 final.
Nadal didn’t defend that championship, withdrawing last year because of painful tendinitis in his knees. Now he’s healthy, reinstated at No. 1 in the rankings, once again the reigning French Open champion – and back on what he called “probably the most beautiful and emblematic court in the world.”
Another past Wimbledon winner coming off an injury, Maria Sharapova, also played Tuesday, and also won convincingly, eliminating 127th-ranked Anastasia Pivovarova of Russia 6-1, 6-0 in only 54 minutes.
Sharapova had right shoulder surgery in October 2008 and was sidelined for about 10 months, then was hampered by a right elbow injury this season. She won Wimbledon at age 17 in 2004.
Joining her in the second round were defending champion Serena Williams, who pounded 15 aces in a 6-0, 6-4 win over Michelle Larcher de Brito of Portugal and two-time major champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, who beat Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-4.
Four seeded men exited, and three are from Spain: No.8 Fernando Verdasco, No. 19 Nicolas Almagro, and No. 14 Juan Carlos Ferrero, the 2003 French Open champion. The other was No. 24 Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus.