Tennis: Agassi beats nerves

LONDON - Andre Agassi overcame a bout of nerves to prolong his Wimbledon story today.

Agassi, playing his last Wimbledon before retiring after the US Open, overcame Serbian Boris Pashanski 2-6 6-2 6-4 6-3 and French Open champion Rafael Nadal beat Briton Alex Bogdanovic in three sets.

Women's French Open champion Justine Henin-Hardenne lost only one game in her first round match against a hopelessly outclassed Yuan Meng, of China, and Swiss Martina Hingis also won easily on her return to the All England Club after a five-year absence.

Triple defending champion Federer broke Bjorn Borg's record for consecutive wins on grass with an authoritative 6-3 6-2 6-2 first round victory over Frenchman Richard Gasquet on centre court, his 42nd successive win on his favourite surface.

Federer, who had led by a set overnight following a rain-affected opening day, had shunned the idea of a special presentation to mark his achievement in surpassing Borg's professional era record.

The Swiss world No 1 celebrated simply by slipping on the personalised cream jacket he is wearing on to court at Wimbledon this year and raising his racket to meet the crowd's applause.

The Swiss next faces Briton Tim Henman, who beat him at Wimbledon in the 2001 quarterfinals.

Henman meandered to a 6-7 6-3 6-2 1-6 6-3 win over Swede Robin Soderling today.

Agassi, who won the first of his eight Grand Slams at Wimbledon in 2002, earned an even bigger ovation than Federer when he walked on to centre court but looked all of his 36 years in the first set against Pashanski.

"I was bit lost out there in the first set, I was a little bit too nervous," admitted Agassi, who announced his retirement timetable last weekend.

The Las Vegan quickly warmed to his task, however, and out-hit the Serbian, who finished the match with two miserable double faults.

Nadal

Nadal was not troubled overly either by his sore shoulder or British opponent Alex Bogdanovic in a 6-4 7-6 6-4 victory on court one.

Henin-Hardenne blocked out the memory of her shock first round defeat by Greek Eleni Daniilidou last year with a ruthless 6-0 6-1 win over Yuan.

"I played well, very consistent, pretty aggressive," said the Belgian third seed, who is bidding to complete her Grand Slam title collection.

"That's the kind of match you need in your first rounds."

Hingis was also a shock first-round loser on her last Wimbledon appearance in 2001 but the 1997 champion was a set up overnight and was never troubled on the resumption, completing a 6-2 6-2 win over Ukrainian Olga Savchuk.

Belgian second seed Kim Clijsters had to fight harder before completing her unfinished business with Russian Vera Zvonareva 7-5 6-3.

Russia's fifth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova and No 10 Nicole Vaidisova, the Czech 17-year-old she beat in the French Open semifinals, had comfortable first round wins.

Swede Thomas Johansson was the first men's seed to exit.

The No 12 lost 3-6 7-6 6-1 6-1 to 34-year-old compatriot Jonas Bjorkman.

On a poor day for France, 21st seed Gael Monfils was upset in four sets by Russian Igor Kunitsyn and injury-plagued Australian Mark Philippoussis, the 2003 runner-up, achieved a notable four-set win over Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu, the 32nd seed.

Men's seeds David Nalbandian, American James Blake, Mario Ancic of Croatia and Czech Tomas Berdych all advanced relatively comfortably.

So too did Russian former world No 1 Marat Safin, a 6-4 6-4 6-4 winner over British No 1 Greg Rusedski.

Rusedski's 19-year-old compatriot Andy Murray was an assured 6-1 6-4 6-4 winner over Chile's Nicolas Massu and left centre court pumping both his fists enthusiastically.

- REUTERS