Tim Henman last night admitted he had struggled to overcome his ''incompetence'' after scraping into the second round at Wimbledon.

Henman recovered from two sets down to beat Finland's Jarkko Nieminen 3-6 6-7 6-4 7-5 6-2 after three hours 31 minutes on Centre Court.

But the British number one conceded he needs to make a massive improvement to have any chance of winning the title he covets so dearly at the 12th attempt.

''It was touch and go for a long time,'' the sixth seed said after his first such comeback at Wimbledon, the fourth of his career.

''I was struggling with my incompetence and needed to change that. I wasn't playing well and was flat with my attitude and body language.

''Physically I was really struggling to get some energy into the match, and the crowd probably the same.

''But you've got to keep fighting and play with what you have on the day.

''There wasn't so much but I'm proud of the way I dug in and found a way to get through.

''I was struggling with all aspects of my game for whatever reason, whether I was nervous and that probably added to it. The first match is never easy.

''You can't win it on the first day but you can certainly lose it and it's a good one to get through.''

Henman twice came back from two sets down on his way to the French Open semi-finals last year, and once in the Davis Cup against the Czech Republic, and added: ''I've done it before and you still have to believe in yourself.

''I didn't feel I was going to play much worse so hopefully I was going to start to improve. I'm never going to lie down in any event but with my record at Wimbledon I had to do something.''

Henman has made no secret of his displeasure at the slower balls and courts now being used, but refused to use it as an excuse.

''The courts have changed so much over the years, it's heavy and slow and that doesn't suit me,'' added the four-time semi-finalist, who will play Russian Dmitry Tursunov in the next round.

''But it's the same for everyone and I've got to find a way to perform better. I think I can and that's the challenge.

''Third, fourth and fifth sets I started to be more patient and set up the point with the serve and not serve and volley so much because I can't serve big enough to get it away from the guys.

''I didn't do it well at all times but I'm through and I've got to improve.''

Henman's coach, Paul Annacone, had warned the four-time semi-finalist he needed to change his tactics to cope with the different nature of grass court tennis, but it did not look as though the message had got through.

He saved a break point in the fifth game after serving consecutive double faults but then attempted to serve and volley behind his second serve when facing the same situation in the next game.

That simply gave Nieminen - who had not played a match on grass for two years - an easy passing shot and the world number 70 took advantage before breaking Henman again to seal the opening set.

Henman broke in the first game of the second set but soon squandered the advantage and a double fault in the eventual tie-break allowed Nieminen to serve out and take a two-set lead.

The match could have effectively been over if Henman had not saved a break point in the opening game of the third set, and that proved to be a crucial turning point.

A break in the 10th game gave Henman the third set and a single break was also enough for him to win the fourth to force a decider.

Seasoned Henman-watchers were no doubt expecting a roller-coaster ride but the momentum was now firmly with the Briton, and he cruised to victory with two breaks of serve.

l Rafael Nadal grudgingly respected Wimbledon's all-white rule but still managed to add plenty of colour to Centre Court as he scorched through to the second round last night.

Nadal, the 19-year-old newly-crowned French Open champion who is famous for his flamboyant and garish colour schemes, dazzled American veteran Vince Spadea for a 6-4 6-3 6-0 victory.

Resplendent in toned-down versions of his trademark culottes, sleeveless shirt and headband, the Spaniard grew on the unfamiliar grass court as the game went on and ended it in utter command.

The word delicate does not come to mind when watching Nadal, a fierce competitor who chases down every hopeless cause and roars into each shot as if it is his last.

But he remains an irresistible attraction with his swinging baseline drives and audacious stretching returns; arguably the most naturally talented player on the men's tour besides Roger Federer.

Clay court king Nadal took a little time getting used to the new surface as well as the unusually sober colour schemes, a mood mirrored by a crowd still drawing breath after Tim Henman's great escape which preceded it.

Some of Nadal's fiercest drives threatened only the ball boys and line judges, though when they did bring up clouds of titanium pigment, Nadal was quick to clench his fists and vigorously nod approval.

Spadea, most famous for ending a record 21-match unbeaten run by beating Rusedski here in 2000, batted away from the baseline but was increasingly coming second as Nadal gained in ascendancy.

As the hot sun began to sink beneath the SW19 skyline, so did Spadea's chances diminish. Nadal blazed on with his exhilarating array of clubbing cross-court forehands and lightning returns