Rafael Nadal overcomes Jack Draper challenge to reach Australian Open 2R
Rafael Nadal registered his first victory of the 2023 season as he beat Jack Draper 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 to book his place in the second round of the Australian Open.
While Nadal produced some good tennis during the match, there were also numerous moments when he looked a little shaky and one could argue that a lot of his win came down to the fact that Draper was suffering from cramps as the match progressed.
The Brit did manage to give a few glimpses of his talent and showed why he is a player to watch out for in the future. However, the day belonged to Nadal, who will be eager to put in better performances as the tournament progresses.
Both players were very dominant on their serve during the opening set, with Nadal having a break point in the seventh game, which Draper saved. The Spaniard eventually broke the Brit in the final game of the set to win it 7-5 and take the lead in the match.
Draper dominated the set from the very beginning as he produced some good shots and astute defense to take a 4-0 lead. At one point, it looked like Nadal was facing his first bagel at a Grand Slam since the 2018 US Open. However, he managed to win a couple of games before Draper closed out the set at 6-2.
Rafael Nadal started the third set strongly by holding his serve to love and things started to look a little bad for Draper as he started to suffer from cramps. The Spaniard took advantage of the situation by making the first break of the set to take a 3-1 lead.
However, he also made a few unforced errors which allowed Draper to break back and the scores were soon level at 4-4. The King of Clay held his serve before making the all-important break in the final game to restore his lead in the match.
Draper's physical problems became more evident in the fourth set and Nadal continued to cash in as he went two breaks up to lead 5-1. The Brit did manage to show some good tennis in the final game and had a few break points. However, the King of Clay saved them and held his serve to book his place in the second round.
Rafael Nadal will face Mackenzie McDonald in the second round of the Australian Open
After overcoming Draper, Rafael Nadal will next face World No. 65 Mackenzie McDonald in the second round of the Australian Open. The 27-year-old booked his place in the round of 64 by beating compatriot Brandon Nakashima 7-6(5), 7-6(1), 1-6, 6-7(10), 6-4 in a marathon clash that lasted four hours and nine minutes.
Nadal and McDonald will lock horns for the second time, with the Spaniard thrashing the American 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 in their previous encounter, which came in the second round of the 2020 French Open.
The winner of the match will face either 31st seed Yoshihito Nishioka or Czech qualifier Dalibor Svrcina in the third round of the Australian Open.