Rafael Nadal launched his Australian Open title defence with a four-set victory over Britain’s Jack Draper on Monday as house hope Nick Kyrgios stop by way of harm with out hitting a ball.
In the ladies’s draw, high seed Iga Swiatek survived a troublesome examination whereas Jessica Pegula and teenage prodigy Coco Gauff have been each emphatic winners on the primary day of motion.
Spanish nice Nadal, 36, had been in poor kind by his sky-high requirements, shedding six of his final seven matches stretching again to defeat within the final 16 on the US Open.
In fast-rising Draper, 21, the 22-time Grand Slam champion confronted a stern check to begin his marketing campaign at a sweltering Melbourne Park.
The high seed recovered from a second-set wobble — and a weird incident when a ball boy by chance took his racquet — to defeat the Thirty eighth-ranked Briton 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 at Rod Laver Arena.
Nadal, who not too long ago turned a father, faces American Mackenzie McDonald in spherical two.
“Very exciting, new beginning, just super-happy to be back at Rod Laver with a victory I needed,” he mentioned after grinding down Draper.
“Last couple of months have not been easy for me.”
Nadal was on court docket when Australia’s proficient however temperamental Kyrgios known as a swiftly organized press convention and introduced that he was out of the match with a knee harm.
“I’m devastated, obviously,” mentioned the Wimbledon finalist, who was thought-about an out of doors guess to win a maiden Grand Slam crown.
“I’ve had some great tournaments here, winning the doubles last year and playing the tennis of my life probably going into this event.
“I’m simply exhausted from all the things, and (it is) clearly fairly brutal.”
The first Grand Slam of the year had already lost several stars in the build-up.
Injured men’s world number one Carlos Alcaraz and two-time Melbourne champion Naomi Osaka — who is expecting her first child — are among the other players missing.
Nine-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic, who was detained and deported ahead of last year’s tournament after refusing to get vaccinated for Covid, begins his title assault on Tuesday.
Other winners on Monday included third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and sixth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who saw off dogged Vasek Pospisil in an all-Canadian clash.
Russia’s Daniil Medvedev, losing finalist in 2021 and 2022, fired up his bid to go one better with a straight-sets demolition of Marcos Giron. But 21st seed Borna Coric fell to Czech player Jiri Lehecka in straight sets.
In the women’s draw, hot favourite Swiatek was far from her fluent best against Jule Niemeier but got the job done, 6-4, 7-5.
“Honestly, I needed to be centered on myself as a result of I do know that Jule serves wonderful and was actually pushing, placing strain on me,” said Swiatek, who landed only 49 percent of her first serves.
“So I’m fairly blissful that I bought by way of this match as a result of the primary spherical is all the time difficult and I assume an opponent like Jule makes it much more difficult.”
The Pole, who is chasing an Australian Open crown to go with major titles at the US Open and Roland Garros, plays Camila Osorio of Colombia next.
In-form Pegula blitzed 161st-ranked Romanian Jaqueline Cristian 6-0, 6-1 in a 59-minute romp to signal her intent.
Fellow American Gauff was equally explosive in racing into the second round with a 6-1, 6-4 thumping of Czech Katerina Siniakova.
The 18-year-old Gauff now faces a mouth-watering encounter against former US Open champion Emma Raducanu. It will be the first-ever meeting between Gauff and the 20-year-old Raducanu, two rising stars of women’s tennis.
“I’m actually wanting ahead to this match,” Raducanu said. “I’m very up for it. Coco has clearly performed plenty of nice issues and he or she’s taking part in properly.
“I think we’re both good, young players, we’re both coming through — part of the next generation of tennis really — it’s going to be a great match.”
Also safely by way of was one other American, Danielle Collins, final yr’s overwhelmed finalist in Melbourne.
Greek sixth seed Maria Sakkari additionally received and Victoria Azarenka defeated Sofia Kenin in a battle of two former Australian Open champions.
But two seeds fell on the first hurdle, Twenty fifth-seeded Czech Marie Bouzkova and American twenty eighth seed Amanda Anisimova.
