Australian Open 2016: Verdasco stuns Nadal

Verdasco saved a break point to prevent going 3-0 down in the decider, going on to win 7-6 (8-6), 4-6, 3-6 7-6 (4-7), 6-2, reported BBC.

There had been signs of a revival in recent weeks but the 14-time major champion was simply unable to cope with Verdasco’s superior baseline hitting, which yielded 90 winners – 41 of them forehands – to Nadal’s 37.

Stan Wawrinka, who beat Nadal in the 2014 Australian final, and four-time runner-up Andy Murray advanced, along with Lleyton Hewitt, the two-time major victor who is playing his 20th and last Australian Open tournament before retiring.

Halep, the women’s world number two, soon followed him out in an almighty upset by Chinese qualifier Zhang Shuai – who wept freely as she won her first Grand Slam match in 15 attempts. “I think I played unbelievable in the fifth set from the break”, Verdasco, beaten by Nadal in the 2009 semi-finals, said in a courtside interview. But, you know, we are trying – like if for me was it, I would take out the betting.

“I had many problems in this period before coming here, so I can say that I am a little bit down mentally because I was very homesick”. My sponsor, always try to help me, give me more motivation. “Was not my day, but let’s keep going, that the only thing I can do”.

On a sizzling day in Melbourne, sweat-drenched Murray doused the challenge of exciting German prospect Alexander Zverev 6-1 6-2 6-3 to get his campaign underway. He has lost five of his last six hard court matches played against lefties, dating back to 2014.

French Open champion Wawrinka was leading 7-6 (2), 6-3 when his opponent Dmitry Tursonov retired with what appeared to be an upper leg injury.

It was only the second time Nadal went one-and-done in a Grand Slam tournament. I felt very, very sad.

The world number three – on court before Great Britain’s Johanna Konta beat Venus Williams – has never gone past round two in Melbourne but looked in complete control as she overcame Anett Kontaveit 6-0 6-4 in just 60 minutes. So, you know, I don’t have that power.

Murray also said the tours should do a better job educating players – especially younger ones – what to do in case they are approached by match fixers. Not a lucky first round, I think, for me.

Fortunately for Milos Raonic, he didn’t have to grind out a win against Lucas Pouille in the first round at Melbourne Park.

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

Rafael Nadal has a tough first-round match against fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in the last afternoon match at Rod Laver. “In a lot of the matches that I have lost here I have also played some really good tennis”.