Rafael Nadal

Consecutive losses at the United Cup see Rafael Nadal kick off his Australian Open title defence without a match win in 2023, and he is facing dangerous ...

By Paul Johnson There are also plenty of Australians in action, with Olivia Gadecki an early winner.

Rafael Nadal is known for his idiosyncrasies and rituals before and during tennis matches so when a ballboy accidentally removed his playing racket from ...

[Australian Open](https://www.tennis365.com/category/australian-open/) [Tennis News](https://www.tennis365.com/category/tennis-news/) I’m here to just give myself a chance. “It’s a big challenge for me at the beginning to start the tournament. The racket didn’t make an appearance in time for the next game as Nadal had to use a different one and he went on to win the opening set 7-5. Channel Nine commentator John Fitzgerald joked “goodness me, that’s a big mistake and he knows.

The Spaniard got the 1068th win of his career with a four-set victory over Britain's Jack Draper on Rod Laver Arena.

Awaiting Nadal in the second round will be No. “Well, if we put in perspective all the situation I went through the last six months, it has been a very positive start. Just super happy to be back here in Rod Laver Arena, and with a victory that I needed. And the match was a brawl from the start. Nadal couldn’t have asked for a more dangerous first-round opponent than Draper, though—not only was the 21-year-old British lefty only five spots out the seeds, but he came into the Australian Open with momentum, too, having reached the semifinals in Adelaide last week. Facts & Stats

Rafael Nadal is into the second round of the Australian Open after beating Jack Draper in four sets.

Australian Open Stream the 2023 Australian Open live on Nadal is not impressed with the floodlights being turned on at Australian Open Draper refused to allow the setback to affect him, however, and flew out of the traps in the second set, breaking Nadal in the first game. At 5-5, Nadal was taken to deuce from 40-0 up by Draper, but the Spaniard moved to within a game of the first set when the Brit struck a forehand into the tramlines. Rafael Nadal is into the second round of the Australian Open after beating Jack Draper in four sets.

Rafael Nadal comes through a challenging opening test against Jack Draper in Rod Laver Arena at the 2023 Australian Open.

[Australian Open](https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/australian-open/580/overview) title (2009, 2022). With defeat to Nadal, the Briton fell to 0-2 against top seeds at the Slams, having lost to [Novak Djokovic](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/novak-djokovic/d643/overview) at 2021 [Wimbledon](https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/wimbledon/540/overview) in his major debut. His best major result is a third-round run at the 2022 The Spaniard delivered in the crucial moments of a 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory against 21-year-old debutante [Jack Draper](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/jack-draper/d0co/overview) to reach the Melbourne second round for the 17th time. The pair's first ATP Head2Head matchup was briefly interrupted by rain at several moments early on, and the action on the court seemed to match that stop-start pattern as both men took turns dictating from the baseline. He is young, he has the power and I think he has a great future in front [of him]. In an all-lefty matchup, Nadal clinched sets one and three with decisive, late breaks to make up for what was nearly a 6-0 second set for Draper. "I played against one of the toughest opponents possible in the first round, being seeded. But Nadal rattled off the final six games as Draper's physical issues hampered him more and more. The last couple of months haven’t been easy for me, but hopefully this victory is going to help me." I’m very excited about this new beginning, just super happy to be back here in I’m super happy to be back here in Australia one more time," Nadal said in his on-court interview.

Top-seeded Nadal recovered from a second-set wobble to defeat the 38th-ranked Briton 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 at Rod Laver Arena.

Rafael Nadal has explained to Eurosport's Barbara Schett exactly what happened when a ball kid took his racquet away to the stringer when he needed it.

"Winning against Jack [Draper], I needed to do things well, of course. "When you put everything into perspective, I had a very tricky opponent in the first round. he told Schett with a smile. It all amounted to some entertaining exchanges on Rod Laver Arena as he attempted to get it back. "I need to accept that, to stay with the right attitude, and it happened in the second [set, which Draper won] and it happened in the fourth at the beginning, but that’s part of the business now." Australian Open

Rafael Nadal had to dig deep on Monday at the Australian Open to claw through his first-round match against Jack Draper. But for the defending champion it ...

I am happy that I was able to win against a great player this afternoon.” “When you break the abdominal, you start to protect yourself, putting the ball more to the left, trying to not do the movement, the full movement, with the abdominal.” But I think he is in the right position to have a very productive season. I am in a moment that I am more up and down. “I think it's only cramping that happened at the end to him. “To win against Jack, as I said before the tournament started, has been one of the toughest first rounds possible being seeded. “I needed a victory, so that's the main thing. A great future in front, I think. “But to win against Jack, I need to do things well. I think I did things well. The most important thing today is a victory against a tough opponent,” Nadal said. A win was a win.

Defending champion Rafael Nadal was far from his best as he produced an error-laden performance during his opening-round victory over Jack Draper at the ...

[Australian Open](https://www.tennis365.com/category/australian-open/) Draper’s former coach Justin Sherring told the Daily Telegraph: “We used to base a lot of our game development around Rafa.

Midway through the first set against Britain's Jack Draper, the 22-time grand slam winner stood with his arms spread as explained to the umpire that he was ...

“The combination of lights.” “Unfortunately that passed, so we need to keep working. I need the dampener and everything,” added the Spaniard, referring to the small rubber device which tennis players place between the strings to lessen the impact when they hit shots. “I need the racquet back! “Normally, I have the number of the rackets under control so I said I need the stringer, but I need the stringer for the other racket,” Nadal explained, per Eurosport. After the match, Nadal described the racket snafu as a “funny situation.”

Defending Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal goes through the wringer to escape Great Britain's Jack Draper in the opening round.

But when you start cramping, it becomes almost impossible, in all honesty.” – Rappler.com 38 Draper and set up his next match against American Mackenzie McDonald. Typical thing when you are not in a winning mood.”

Defending champion Rafael Nadal admitted he had been far from perfect after grinding down a man 15 years his junior to kickstart his bid for a 23rd Grand ...

“But I think he is in the right position to have a very productive season. Draper needed repeated treatment on his upper right leg, but against the odds broke back before Nadal again stepped up. The most important thing today is a victory against a tough opponent. “Super-happy to be back here in Australia one more time. But Nadal lost focus in the second set as 21-year-old Draper, ranked 38, raised his game and raced to a 4-0 lead before sealing the set. “I needed a victory, so that’s the main thing.

The Spanish tennis player, who scored his first victory, said he was grateful to have Mery Perelló and his little Rafa by his side.

In a press conference after the match, Nadal reiterated what he feels in this new chapter of his life he shares with his wife. “I don’t know how I would feel if my baby was not here with me for a month. With this win, he advances to the second round of the tournament, in which he will face Mackenzie McDonald from the U.S. The topic of his new fatherhood quickly came up, and he responded willingly and with a big smile. He even shared the video of this interview, which the hosts of the Australian Open conducted. [Rafael Nadal](https://www.hola.com/us/tags/rafael-nadal/) is determined to flip the page and redeem the bad luck he had last year on a professional level.

Rafael Nadal said Monday he was grateful to his wife Mery for traveling to Australia with their baby boy, admitting he was not sure he could cope without ...

“I don’t know my feeling if the baby’s not here with me for one month. “Only could create a negative impact if I was here for one month and they were not able to be with me,” he added. Rafael Nadal said Monday he was grateful to his wife Mery for traveling to Australia with their baby boy, admitting he was not sure he could cope without them for a month.

On day one of the Australian Open 2023, Rafael Nadal won his opening match against Britain's Jack Draper at Rod Laver Arena. The Spaniard has now advanced ...

He went on to say it was “no problem at all” as the ball boy picked the racquet that he was “ready to play with”. He further exclaims, “I need the racquet back…I need the dampener and everything”. During the game, Nadal can be heard explaining to the umpire that the racquet left on the bench was for the stringer and “not that one”.