DEFENDING champion Rafael Nadal safely booked his place in the second round of Wimbledon, before the rain came and affected a number of the other games.

The number one seed saw off the challenge of the unheralded Michael Russell in three sets in the opening match on Centre Court, setting up a meeting with Russell’s countryman, American Ryan Sweeting who beat Pablo Andujar in five sets.

A first-set break of serve was the only real blemish for the 25-year-old Nadal, whose quality improved as the game went on, especially in the second, when the introduction of the sliced backhand helped him take a stranglehold on the match.

‘‘I think he (Russell) started playing very well,’’ Nadal said. ‘‘He was aggressive and having good returns. I started trying to play too fast in the beginning. I had a few mistakes with the backhand and the forehand, so he had the break.

‘‘After that I started to change my rhythm, using the slice and trying to play longer points. I think I did well after that first moment and my level in general was positive.’’ Nadal’s match was wrapped up just after 3pm, and a little under two hours later play was suspended on all courts barring centre as the heavens opened, as had been forecast.

Others to have completed wins by that point included Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller, who beat the returning Tommy Haas in four sets, and the up-and-coming Canadian Milos Raonic.

The big-serving 20-year-old sent down 25 aces as he beat Frenchman Marc Gicquel 6-3 7-6 (7/3) 6-3.

The Montenegro-born player will face Muller in the second round before a potential meeting with Nadal, who has voiced his fears about playing powerful servers.

Raonic, who can serve at up to 140mph, is a champion in the making according to John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova, but he is not getting carried away with the pressure being thrust upon his young shoulders.

Despite this being his first appearance at SW19, the confident newcomer says he will not be going out to make up the numbers if he clashes with world No 1 Nadal.

Asked whether a Centre Court meeting with the defending champion would be enough reward for this year, Raonic said: ‘‘Even though people are saying I’m playing with nothing to lose and all that kind of stuff, I care a lot about it.

‘‘I’m not going to go lose and just accept it and say, ‘I’ve done well this year. It’s fine’. I’m not that kind of person.’’ Ninth seed Gael Monfils of France was another straightsets winner, 6-4 7-6 (7/3) 6-3 over Germany’s Matthias Bachinger.

‘‘It’s good to win a first match in a slam, especially on grass,’’ Monfils said. ‘‘It takes a little bit of time to feel really good on grass, so I’m happy to win in straight sets.’’ Swiss 14th seed Stanislas Wawrinka beat Potito Starace of Italy 6-3 6-4 6-4 and American 10th seed Mardy Fish sank Spain’s Marcel Granollers 7-6 (7/3) 7-6 (7/5) 6-4.