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Date: 22 Jun 2010 23:48

Nadal, Soderling Cruise; Verdasco Out

Tennis World Magazine Tennis News Nadal, Soderling Cruise, Verdasco Out Rafael Nadal made a confident start to his Wimbledon campaign on Tuesday by defeating Kei Nishikori 6-2, 6-4, 6-4. The Japanese player put up a good fight in the second and third sets, but the result was never really in doubt. Nadal will now play Robin Haase, who defeated the struggling James Blake in straight sets, in the second round. Robin Soderling had a tougher opponent in Robby Ginepri, but won his match even more easily than Nadal, overcoming the American 6-2, 6-2, 6-3. Soderling hit an incredible 58 winners in the short match, sending out a warning to the rest of the field with a dominant performance. He could possibly face Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals. Fernando Verdasco was the highest ranked casualty of the tournament so far, losing in four sets to the Italian journeyman Fabio Fognini, 7-6, 6-2, 6-7, 6-4.