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Enlarge PhotoSpain's Rafael Nadal serves to Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic during the men's singles... World number one Rafael Nadal took first blood in the men's final at Wimbledon breaking Czech Tomas Berdych twice to win the first set 6-3 on Sunday.Berdych, who defeated six-times champion Roger Federer and third seed Novak Djokovic on the way to the final, started well and took the opening service game to love.
Not wanting to be outdone, Nadal's first serve of the match was an ace and he went on to level the score, untroubled by a shout of "I love you Rafa" midway through the game which brought laughter from the crowd.
Berdych, ranked 13th in the world, covered the court well and looked comfortable coming into the net but he lost his momentum in the seventh game as he fell 0-40 behind.
Nadal, 2008 champion, converted the second of his three break points, pounding the ball into the back of the court for a 4-3 lead. He then held his serve to love.
Berdych, serving to stay, had some bad luck when the ball clipped the net and bounced back on to his side of the court and from then on the pressure seemed to get to the tall Czech.
He saved the first set point against him with an ace but then put a forehand into the net to give the Spaniard the set in 34 minutes.
(Reporting by Alison Wildey, editing by Pritha Sarkar; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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