RAFAEL Nadal was given an early working over but had more than enough in reserve to win his Wimbledon firstround match against Thomaz Bellucci.

Gunning for a third title at the All England Club, the Spaniard served as a punchbag over the course of the first four games as the free-hitting Bellucci landed winners from all over the court.

The Brazilian found himself 4-0 ahead as a result before Nadal, an 11-time grand slam winner, dug his heels in and got his forehand working, seeing out a 7-6 (7/0) 6-2 6-3 win to secure a meeting with Michael Russell.

‘‘I don’t think I played my best match today. Especially in the first set, I was too nervous and didn’t know what to do,’’ the 26-year-old said.

‘‘But I was able to keep winning the first set. That’s the important thing and the good news. Then I started to play better. The second and third set I played better, even if I made mistakes.

‘‘I felt in that moment I started to hit my forehand better.

That’s the most important thing for me. In the beginning I didn’t start the best, but I finished well so I’m happy.’’ Nadal joined Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer in the next round, leaving it up to Andy Murray to ensure the big four all progressed.

The Brit did so with ease, much to many people’s surprise considering he was playing former world number three Nikolay Davydenko, showing supreme touch as he won 6-1 6-1 6-4.

The leading lights’ fortunes were differing to those of Lleyton Hewitt, though.

Now 31, the 2002 champion has spent recent years struggling for form and fitness and was dumped out in three sets by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Questions inevitably shifted to his future afterwards, and he could not rule out calling it quits as far as Wimbledon is concerned.

‘‘I’ve been focusing on getting back and doing everything right with my foot,’’ he said.

‘‘I’d like to be back, absolutely, but we’ll have to wait and see.’’ It was a bad day all round for the Australians inside the venue as Bernard Tomic, the teenager tipped to follow in Hewitt’s footsteps, also went out, losing in four sets to David Goffin 3-6 6-3 6-4 6-4.

American Mardy Fish, back on tour after a heart scare, saw off Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo in straight sets but did not attend his post-match press conference after feeling unwell, while Jarkko Nieminen took four sets to get past Feliciano Lopez and ninth seed Juan Martin del Potro needed the same to see off Robin Haase.