Wimbledon: Rafael Nadal eases into 2nd round with landmark 850th win

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London, July 3: Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal eased into the second round of the Wimbledon here today (July 3).

The 31-year-old Nadal defeated world number 137 John Millman of Australia 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 in the opening round match. He will next face Donald Young of USA on Wednesday (July 5).

"I don't know how well I played, but the important thing is I'm through. I had a positive feeling and I'm happy how I was hitting my forehand," world number two Nadal said after the victory.

"For all the players it so special playing here and after the history I have here, I was so happy to be back.

"I am happy the way I have started the season and now here I have the opportunity to compete well on the grass," he added after his 850th career win.

Today's match was the first on grass court in two years for Nadal. He had missed last year's Wimbledon due to an injury and had lost to Dustin Brown of Germany in the second round in 2015.

Earlier, Spanish player Roberto Bautista, eighth-seeded, won his first-round match, beating Austrian Andreas Haider-Maurer.

Bautista, World No. 19, took one hour and 38 minutes to beat his 30-year-old opponent 6-3, 6-1, 6-2, reports Efe.

The Spaniard will play in the second round against the winner of the match between Romanian Marius Copil, world no. 85, and German Peter Gojowczyk, World No.140.

IANS