Rafael Nadal destroys Michael Russell in the first round – Wimbledon Championships 2011
Defending champion, Rafael “Rafa” Nadal clinched an easy straight sets victory against Michael “Iron Mike” Russell as he began his campaign at the 2011 Wimbledon Championships on Monday, 20th June.
The Spaniard took almost two hours as he secured a 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 victory against the American.
Their first ever meeting on courts, Nadal rushed to an almost one-sided victory taking a 1-0 lead in the head-to-head score against the lower ranked American.
Russell won the toss and held his serve comfortably to put himself on the scoreboard. Trouble followed for the Spaniard in his service game as Russell pushed the defending champion to a break point. However, the Spaniard was able
to save the break point he faced and hitting two well placed cross court winners on deuce, Rafa was finally able to put himself on the scoreboard. The American was keen on giving the defending champion a tough time. Saving three breakpoints in the third game,
“Iron Mike” was able to hold his serve. Capitalising on Rafa’s double fault, Russell caught a lucky break in the fourth game to lead the set 4-2. However, the valiant Spaniard returned the favour as he clinched back the break without losing a single point,
before levelling the score at 4-4. A break later, Rafa was all set to serve out the set at 5-4. One after the other errant strokes from Russell allowed Rafa to clinch the first set 6-4 without losing a single point in the final game.
Taking forty six minutes, Rafa hit an amazing 79 percent on his first serve including two aces and eleven winners. The Spaniard clinched 34 points to Russell’s 28 as he went one up in the set score.
Rafa maintained his dominance in the second set as he broke Russell in the very first game to clinch an early 2-0 lead. The American continued to hit long and wide shots giving Rafa another chance at a break in the fifth game.
The Spaniard cashed in on his chances as he secured a 4-1 lead for himself. An exchange of break later left Rafa serving out the set at 5-2. A weak into-the-net return from Russell at 40-30 put Rafa two up in the lead as he clinched the second set 6-2.
Maintaining form in the third set as well, Rafa again clinched an early break to lead the set 2-1 extending it to 5-1 minutes later. Serving for the set at 5-2, Rafa capitalised on the errant strokes of the American as he clinched
another 6-2 victory to seal his straight sets victory.
Nadal moves on ahead to play either compatriot Pablo Andujar or another American Ryan Sweeting.
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