ARTICLES:

• By The Numbers: Nadal Joins 700 Wins Club (via ATP World Tour)

Nadal has become the 11th player in the Open Era to win at least 700 matches in his career and the first to accomplish the feat since Roger Federer at Roland Garros in 2010. Here are the players to win at least 700 career matches…

• Nadal To Face 2012 Conqueror Rosol In Wimbledon Second Round (via ATP World Tour)

Nadal, a winner of 14 Grand Slam championship titles, was beaten by Rosol 6-7(9), 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 in the second round two years ago. Rosol advanced to a re-match with Nadal on Tuesday after he knocked out Benoit Paire 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-4.

• A Grass-Court State of Mind (via tennis.com)

Can a first-round win by the No. 1 player in the world actually be a surprise? I’m not going to go that far, but there was a serious buzz of uncertainty inside Centre Court as Rafael Nadal walked out for his opener on Tuesday against Martin Klizan.

• Nadal rescata a Nadal (via El Pais)

“Siempre estos partidos son muy peligrosos, estoy muy feliz”, explica luego ante las cámaras el español, que había perdido cuatro de sus últimos cinco partidos en césped. “Aquí tengo recuerdos increíbles. Mi única oportunidad es luchar cada punto, porque los pocos partidos que llevo en esta superficie en los últimos años quitan ritmo y seguridad”, añadió antes de enfrentarse a Rosol en segunda ronda, su verdugo de 2012. “Es muy peligroso”, reconoció.

• Rafael Nadal Through Despite Dropping First Set (via Wimbledon)
• Rafael Nadal Victory Restores Order at Wimbledon (via NY Times)

Like the other former champions, Nadal made it through the beginning. And, like the others, he understands that every happy ending needs such a start.

• Wimbledon 2014: Rafael Nadal bounces back to beat Martin Klizan and set up Lukas Rosol rematch at SW19 (via Telegraph)

Some players might have been poleaxed by embarrassment. But not Nadal. Yes, he might have stalked off to his chair with a comic-book speech-bubble over his head reading “@$£!@”. Yes, he might have lost the opening set – largely as a result of the break donated via that duff serve. But there is no athlete in the world with greater emotional resilience, and Nadal performed a sort of mental control-alt-delete at the next changeover.

• The reality for Nadal and Federer (via ESPN)

On Tuesday, they stepped onto Wimbledon’s show courts and offered drastically contrasting performances. Nadal ended a 0-for-7 set streak on grass, but struggled to beat a man ranked exactly 50 spots below him, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3. It was his 700th ATP World Tour victory — and his first on grass in two years. Federer, meanwhile, was a ho-hum, 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 winner over Lorenzi.

• Nadal’s coaching void is pain in the back (via ESPN)

Toni wasn’t around for Nadal’s lunchtime practice on Monday. Indeed, for the past three days, Toni has been unable to attend his nephew’s training sessions because of back pain. “Toni’s absence shouldn’t be causing Rafa too many problems in practice – Rafa knows what he needs to be working on, and it’s not as if Toni is usually the one hitting with him, so there’s no change there,” a figure close to the Nadal camp told me ahead of the Majorcan’s opening match against Slovakia’s Martin Klizan on Tuesday. “But if Rafa has any difficult moments in his first match, he will want to be able to look up at Toni for reassurance.”

• Wimbledon 2014 quiz: Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer or a plucky Brit. Who said, did and conquerored (sometimes)? (via Telegraph)
• Fifty things to know about this year’s Wimbledon Championships in 50 sentences (via ESPN)
• Demand For Wimbledon Tickets Down Due To Focus On World Cup (via Forbes)

The 2014 Wimbledon Tournament features several of the game’s best male and female players, including Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams. Despite these big-name athletes, however, the world has set its primary attentiveness on Brazil’s World Cup.

• Rafael Nadal’s quest, Martina Hingis’ return: 5 best storylines at the 2014 Wimbledon (via Oregon Live)

PHOTOS:

• Rafael Nadal Scores 700th Career Win To Reach Wimbledon Second Round
• Love all! The Wimbledon players we’ll be watching for more than just their tennis skills (via Daily Mail)

VIDEOS:

• Rafae Nadal starts Wimbledon campaign with a win
• Nadal’s amazing point + Higlights Rafa vs Klizan
• Interview: Rafa On 700th Victory
• Rafael Nadal’s perfect day at Wimbledon
• Practice sessions make perfect – Wimbledon 2014 (via Wimbledon)
• The Greatest Match: Federer v Nadal – Wimbledon 2008 (via Wimbledon)
• Day 2 Preview: Federer, Nadal ready for action – Wimbledon 2014 (via Wimbledon)
• The Forehand of Wimbledon (via Wimbledon)
• Does Rafael Nadal think he will win #Wimbjuggledon? (via Babolat)