Nadal rallies into third round

French Open champion Rafael Nadal recovered from two sets down to beat American qualifier Robert Kendrick in the Wimbledon second round on Thursday.

Kendrick, ranked 237, produced perfect serve-volley tennis to take the first two sets before the Spanish second seed launched a stirring comeback to win 6-7, 3-6, 7-6, 7-5, 6-4 on Centre Court.

The claycourt specialist stole a third-set tiebreak and, after Kendrick finally cracked at the end of the fourth set, dominated the decider.

Nadal, who has never been beyond round three at the grasscourt Grand Slam, faces a dream encounter with retiring American Andre Agassi in the last 32.

Earlier, Agassi delayed writing the final chapter in his Wimbledon memoirs with an engrossing 6-4, 7-6, 6-4 win over Italian Andreas Seppi in another second round match.

The 36-year-old Las Vegan, who is making his farewell appearance at the grasscourt Grand Slam, made his experience count at critical moments.

Aged 22, Seppi had youth on his side and ran the slow-starting Agassi ragged in the opening set but the American eventually stirred into action and delighted the crowd by securing victory in two hours and 23 minutes.