Verdasco sends Nadal packing in 1st Aussie Open round

It wasn’t a semifinal this time, though, and it didn’t end almost as well for Rafael Nadal, who lost 7-6 (6), 4-6, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2 to Fernando Verdasco and was eliminated in the first round of a Grand Slam tournament for only the second time in a career that has netted him 14 major titles.

French 30th seed Jeremy Chardy was forced into a marathon in the heat against Ernests Gulbis, emerging a 7-6, 2-6, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 13-11 after a 108-minute final set.

Rafael Nadal has been knocked out of the Australian Open in the first round for the first time after losing to Fernando Verdasco.

No. 2-ranked Murray and other top players, including Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, say authorities could be doing more to combat the problem.

Murray, a four-time finalist at the Australian Open, will now face Australian Sam Grot in the second round.

Former champion Stan Wawrinka also advanced to the second round after his Russian opponent Dmitry Tursunov retired with an injury. Murray had Amelie Mauresmo, a new mother, back in his coaching corner this week and was happy not to get any mid-match news from home.

“In terms of creating damage to the opponent with my forehand, I didn’t so I was hitting forehands, and he was able to keep hitting winners”, Nadal said. “I was just closing the eyes and everything was going in”. He played more aggressive than me.

Australian Bernard Tomic overcame Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin in four sets but the match had to be stopped for around 15 minutes when a spectator suddenly fell ill. “You know, because I don’t believe the players are allowed to be sponsored by betting companies but then the tournaments are”.

No. 2-ranked Murray, who opened with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 win over Alexander Zverev, answered questions about reports, published by the BBC and Buzzfeed News, that match-fixing had gone unchecked in tennis.

“But I honestly didn’t think about having another chance or having something like what happened today”.

Nadal came into the tournament ranked No. 5, returning to the Top 10 after a disappointing 2015 season in which he failed to win a Grand Slam title for the first time in any season since 2005.

“I think being down set point nearly helped me”.

The 26-year-old Zhang was dominant from the off against Halep, who has now fallen at the first hurdle three times in six visits to Melbourne.

Milos Raonic followed up his victory at the Brisbane International with a clinical, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 first-round win over Lucas Pouille on the second day of the season’s first major.

No. 3 Garbine Muguruza and No. 7 Angelique Kerber were among the women advancing to the second round.

Hewitt, who is retiring after his 20th Australian Open, sent his compatriots into a frenzy when he wrapped up the match with a trademark lob to set up a clash with eighth seed David Ferrer. It was not a good moment to be in for me.