Nadal Knocked Out After First-Round Defeat

No. 3 Garbine Muguruza needed exactly an hour to beat Estonian qualifier Anett Kontaveit 6-0, 6-4, No. 11 Timea Bacsinszky advanced over Katerina Siniakova 6-3, 7-5 and No. 15 Madison Keys, a semifinalist here past year, had to save set points in the first before beating Zarina Diyas 7-6 (5), 6-1.

After a disappointing past two seasons, Rafael Nadal of Spain will open his 2016 Australian Open campaign against compatriot Fernando Verdasco on Tuesday at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia.

His exit continues a series of heartbreaks at the year’s first Grand Slam tournament in Melbourne.

She was beaten in two straight sets, 4-6 2-6 by Johanna Konta, a British-Australian player ranked 46th in the world.

“He was playing incredible in the last set”, Nadal assessed.

“I played unbelievable in the fifth set from after the break he made against me”, Verdasco said.

“Everybody hits the ball hard and try to go for the winners in any position”, he said. “Was not my day, but let’s keep going, that the only thing I can do”.

With Rafael Nadal bowing out in the first round of the Australian Open, this is just the latest sign that it is Novak Djokovic, and not Rafa, who has the best shot to break Roger Federer’s record of 17 career men’s Grand Slam titles.

Nadal’s only other first-round defeat in a grand slam was against Belgium’s Steve Darcis at Wimbledon in 2013.

“I think it’s a little bit hypocritical, really”, he said. It was also her fourth win at Melbourne Park in the past week – she won three matches in qualifying to get into the main draw.

The two issues are separate but have collided at this year’s Australian Open, where tennis was overshadowed for a second day Tuesday by allegations that match-fixing has gone unchecked in tennis. But we are trying – if it was up to me, I would take out the betting. Only this time, it was an opponent with whom Nadal had an even more memorable history, Fernando Verdasco.

No. 2-ranked Murray opened with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 win over Alexander Zverev, checked to see there were no urgent calls from home – his wife is expecting their first child next month – and had to answer questions immediately about the reports.

“Yeah, I had a few problems but, well, I think I’m recovered now”, she said of the foot problem, “so very good”.

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

But it was a different story for Gilles Muller, who came through four tie-breaks to beat Fabio Fognini, but not before the Italian showed flashes of his famous temper.

“The match is a tough one to lose for me obviously”, Nadal told reporters. Verdasco thumped 90 winners in the enthralling four hours and 41 minutes classic, with 41 of those coming from the forehand wing.