Rafael Nadal advances to 2nd round of Wimbledon Tennis Championship

London:World number one Rafael Nadal has advanced to the second round of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships.  In the first round in London yesterday, he defeated Israel's Dudi Sela in straight sets 6-3, 6-3, 6-2.   The Spaniard returned to action for the first time since claiming his 11th French Open title.  Seventeen-time major winner Nadal has not got past the fourth round since finishing runner-up to Novak Djokovic in 2011.   Nadal won the Wimbledon titles in 2008 and 2010.  Three-time champion Novak Djokovic also cruised into the second round with a 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 victory over American Tennys Sandgren.          

In women's section, Spain's Garbine Muguruza opened her title defence with a 6-2, 7-5 win over British wild card Naomi Broady.



Third seed Muguruza next faces Belgium's Alison Van Uytvanck. 

Russia's Maria Sharapova, however, suffered an upset against 132nd-ranked countrywoman Vitalia Diatchenko. Sharapova lost the first round fixture in three sets. The 24th-seeded Sharapova, who was playing Wimbledon for the first time since returning to the WTA Tour last year after serving a 15-month doping suspension. 

Meanwhile, top-seeded Simona Halep of Romania began her journey with 6-2, 6-4 first-round victory over Kurumi Nara. The world No. 1, fresh off winning her first Grand Slam title at the French Open, needed just an hour and 18 minutes to beat the Japanese world No. 100. Halep will square off in the second round against Chinese world No. 126 Saisai Zheng.