French Open champion Rafael Nadal warmed up for Wimbledon on Wednesday with a 6-4 6-4 win over regular victim Juan Martin del Potro in the second round of the Queen's grasscourt tournament. The claycourt grand master, who had a bye into the second round, looked entirely comfortable on the fresh green lawn in West London, despite his protestations that he has difficulty adapting his game to the faster surface.
Nadal, who completed a hat-trick of titles at Roland Garros on Sunday, barely broke sweat while he pummelled del Potro from the back of the court. It was the third time this year after Miami and the first round of the French Open that he had beaten the 18-year-old Argentine, who had looked useful during his first round win over experienced former Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson. The 1.96 metres tall teenager held his own for the first eight games, using a big serve to keep Nadal at bay.
But Nadal's formidable strength and pinpoint returning eventually wore him down. The top seed broke serve in the ninth game of the first set and collected the next four games to put him a break up in the second. After that there was no way back for Del Potro, whose attempts at taking the net were met with searing passing shots down both flanks.
"I'm very happy with my game," Nadal said. "It always difficult with the first game changed to a new surface." The Spaniard reached the Wimbledon final last year, losing to Roger Federer, the man he beat in Paris last Sunday and he said the experience had given him confidence for the short grass season.
Third seed Novak Djokovic, the man Nadal beat in the semi-finals in Paris, also advanced to the third round, beating American Robert Kendrick 3-6 6-3 6-2. The 20-year-old, who reached the fourth round at Wimbledon last year, said he had started tentatively because he was worried about the slippery surface. Kendrick had to have lengthy courtside treatment on a twisted knee after falling heavily midway though the second set.
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