Rafael Nadal and
Matteo Berrettini have etched their names in
Wimbledon history after becoming the first players to practice on the iconic Centre Court.
The tournament broke a long-standing tradition this year, allowing players to practice on the Centre and No. 1 Courts before the competition kicks off. The move was made to break in the grass sooner and prevent slips and
injuries, a concern that was raised last year after high-profile players
such as 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams suffered serious injuries at the event.
Nadal and Berrettini played a practice set on Centre Court today, which reportedly went 6-4 in favor of the Italian. According to Manuel Sanchez Gomez of Spanish international news agency Agencia EFE, who was there in person to witness the session, the 22-time Grand Slam champion had his serve broken at 3-3 to hand the advantage to the World No. 10.