Britain's Tim Henman celebrates a point against Michael Russell of the United States during the Nottingham Open yesterday. Henman won 6-1, 7-6. - Reuters

NOTTINGHAM, England (AP):

TIM HENMAN won just his second ATP Tour match this year yesterday, beating Michael Russell of the United States 6-1, 7-6 (5) at the Nottingham Open.

Henman struggled to hold serve in the second set before advancing to the second round of the Wimbledon warm-up.

"I knew it was never going to be plain sailing and there were a few nervy points along the way," Henman said. "But it's these types of games that are always nice to come through. I didn't play my best but when I needed to, I came through."

Henman was beaten in the first round of the grasscourt Queen's tournament to little-known Marin Cilic on June 12. His only other win this year was in a round-robin tournament in Las Vegas in February.

Slipped

Henman, once ranked fourth in the world, has now slipped to No. 78 - his lowest ranking in 11 years - and needed a wild card to play at Nottingham.

Henman is a four-time semi-finalist at Wimbledon, but the last time he reached the final four was in 2002. He had exited in the second round the past two years.

Agustin Calleri is the highest seeded player to lose so far in Nottingham. Igor Kunitsyn of Russia beat the third-seeded Argentine 7-6 (8), 3-6, 6-4.

Ivo Karlovic of Croatia served 10 aces to defeat seventh-seed Stanislas Wawrinka 6-3, 7-6 (3), and eighth-seeded Arnaud Clement of France beat 2002 Australian Open winner Thomas Johansson 7-5, 6-2.

Also in the first round, Amer Delic defeated Justin Gimelstob 6-4, 6-4 in an all-American match-up, Jan Vacek of the Czech Republic beat Nicolas Lapentti 7-6 (1), 6-3, and Lee Hyung-taik of South Korea defeated Max Mirnyi 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

Three British players exited in straight sets - Alex Bogdanovic, Joshua Goodall and Jamie Baker.

Bogdanovic resumed against Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain trailing 6-4, 1-0 after rain stopped play on Monday. He had eight chances to force a deciding set in a tiebreaker before losing 6-4, 7-6 (13).

Russian qualifier Teimuraz Gabashvili beat Goodall 7-5, 6-3, and Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina ousted Baker 6-4, 6-2.