Australian Open 2023 day one: Rafael Nadal v Jack Draper – live | Australian Open 2023

Nadal 7-5, 0-4* Draper (* denotes server) There’s a low murmur around the court now and it’s got nothing to do with Draper v Nadal. It’s the news that Nick Kyrgios has just withdrawn from the Australian Open with a knee injury. Apparently he didn’t pull up well from his exhibition match with Novak Djokovic on Friday night and the pain of this lateral meniscus tear has intensified since. It’s now a case of preventing further injury (although surely the Australian Open organisers can’t take too many more body blows). According to Kyrgios’s physiotherapist, he’ll now go back to Canberra for surgery and return to the court in a few months time. That ends Kyrgios’s hopes of a deep run in the singles draw and also ends any chance of joining good mate Thanasi Kokkinakis (AKA the Special Ks) in defending their 2022 doubles crown. Meanwhile Jack Draper has won another service game to go 4-0 ahead.

Nadal* 7-5, 0-3 Draper (* denotes server) That light vapour has revived Rafael Nadal. He’s gone up a gear to combat the charge of his 20-year-old rival. There seems a bit more ‘pop’ on his shots in this third game. Draper is a young buck on the up and, with a head full of steam and a break in his pocket, looks dangerous. Can the Spaniard snuff out this comeback before it’s too late? Draper is having none of it. There’s a fantastic rally of heavy baseline shots and this time it’s Nadal who blinks first, going long and then falling short on the next as Draper bangs it into the corner and earn a second break. Huge momentum shift here.

Nadal 7-5, 0-2 Draper* (* denotes server) We have light rain at Melbourne Park and the players have sauntered under cover to wait it out. Bad timing for Draper who has fought back from that first set implosion to build a two game lead. This shower doesn’t look serious though. Any rain drop hitting the scorch of this court can’t last long. Court officials are conferring and it looks like we’re back.

Nadal 7-5, 0-2 Draper* (* denotes server) Early break to Draper and it’s game on! Nadal suddenly looks nervy (it happens when you’ve earned over $130m in career prize-money, I hear). At 20, Draper is a millionaire only once over though and he wins this second game to love without any stress to extend his lead.

Nadal* 7-5, 0-1 Draper (* denotes server) It was game for game, point for point. Until Nadal dug deep into his bag of tricks and broke the Englishman in that 12th game of the set. On those final few points Nadal chased the ball like a dog does a meat wagon. And those old legs served him well as they have done over 92 title wins. Jack Draper has rebounded impressively in this first game of the second set though. He’s taken the first game to deuce on Nadal’s serve with some enterprising stroke play (and no drop shots!). Nadal wins advantage but Draper’s slicing cuts his opponent to the quick and when Rafa hits the strings skew-whiff on the next Draper gets his revenge, winning the last point and breaking.

Nadal wins first set 7-5

Nadal* 6-5 Draper (* denotes server) Nadal didn’t get a look-in on that last Draper service game but he coolly takes the opening points of this eleventh game, smashing the second into the bleachers on the bounce. There was murderous intent in that shot. Just as well Jack had turned his back and moved onto the next point. 40-0 to Nadal with no sign of exhaustion or frayed nerves. But then Nadal gives one back with a wide ball and Draper seizes on the mistake, staying in a rally and then chancing his hand with a backhand down the line. Shot! It unnerves Nadal into netting the next point and falling back to deuce. Draper is anxious to capitalise. Too anxious. He uncoils a winner that instead thuds into the net. Draper’s next return skims the seagulls. Window closed.

Nadal 5-5 Draper* (* denotes server) Jack Draper is sweating now. The temperature on court is cresting 30 degrees and he’s got Rafael Nadal breathing down his neck. The ball kids respond, towelling off the exertions from a centre court spotted in perspiration. Neale Fraser, Australia’s former Davis Cup captain, a noted big server in his playing days is cheering for an upset by the looks. Draper responds to the support, taking the game without dropping a point.

Nadal* 5-4 Draper (* denotes server) Vintage Nadal! That was a fine return by Draper. The ball shot back at the Spaniard’s feet but he skipped out of the way, squared his hips and barrelled it into the corner with superb precision. There’s a Draper challenge to the next Nadal point but it arrives to late for the umpire to acknowledge and act on. Rafa races to 40-0 but Draper fights hard on the final point, both men carving big angled shots from the baseline. It’s Draper who blinks first though, sending the 11th shot long. Another game to love for Nadal and the screws about to turn on the British hope as he fights to stay in the set.

Nadal 4-4 Draper* (* denotes server) Everything going to serve but not according to plan. Nadal is complaining his racquet has gone MIA! Some over-zealous official or the cheekiest fan of the tournament so far? Nadal apologises to Draper for the bizarre delay and it’s all smiles but the momentum is broken. Will it show? It hasn’t affected Draper. He blasts a new ball past Nadal on the first but undoes the good work by lobbing the second long. Another ace keeps him ascendent though. Those long levers are box office. It’s the gamesmanship letting him down, as shown on the next point where he feathers a drop shot Nadal reaches on the run. He gets it back but Nadal is waiting. Bang! Suddenly he’s a break point down and trouble looms. But he saves it with another huge serve that kicks too much for Nadal to control, gets it to deuce. Then takes the advantage, and ultimately the game, when Nadal mishits twice in succession. Now that’s a phrase you don’t hear often…

Nadal* 4-3 Draper (* denotes server) Lovely touch by the top seed! Nadal sent a soft drop shot over the net and Draper rushed in and scooped it up nicely only to send it to the most lethal forehand in the game. Wrong option Jack, and it gets the punishment it deserved. Nadal gets to 40-0 but double faults. Any glimmer of a break vanishes fast though when Draper overhits an open court. Bad miss.

Nadal 3-3* Draper (* denotes server) Nadal hasn’t shown any sign of nerves yet but there’s an uncharacteristic framer to start this game. He’ll settle into this game as usual. Draper looks settled already. The big left-hander cannons Nadal’s return down the line to take it to 40-0. Nadal returns the dose from a tighter angle on the next but a big Draper serve on the last point gets us square again.

Nadal* 3-2 Draper (* denotes server) Nadal nets his first serve, lets the second but lands the third. It starts a fabulous rally, Nadal spearing balls to the corners but Draper using every inch of his big frame to dig them out and return with interest. After four cross court daggers it’s too much for the young man and Nadal takes the opening point. Draper wins the second though. He’s trying to take the Spaniards serve early, an attacking ploy that isn’t foolproof so far but may pay dividends later in the game. Nothing much he can do when Nadal is jagging cross court bullets and serving aces on the last to edge ahead again.

Nadal 2-2 Draper* (* denotes server) So far so good for the Spaniard. Despite losing six of his last seven matches, the top seed looks crisp and confident. It’s enough to unleash his first fist pump of the day as he coaxes Draper to the net in this first point of the game and uncoils and viciously top-spinning return down the line to earn a break point. Draper doesn’t panic though. He leans into his major weapon, the serve, and he wins the next three points and closes it out with an ace. Great boost for Draper. he knows there’s a big sniff of an upset if he plays to his potential and Nadal’s recent rocky form rears its ugly head afresh.

Nadal* 2-1 Draper (* denotes server) Nadal has been highly critical of the balls being used in this tournament and they do appear to be bouncing big on the players, requiring each to take them on the rise and roll high shoulders at them. Both opening points here go to rallies in this third game but Nadal’s court positioning is better. He wins both opening rallies and then draws Draper into the net for the third point. Positive move from the Englishman but it’s a trap. Rafa rips it cross court to take the point in style and, soon after, claims the game.

Nadal 1-1 Draper* (* denotes server) Strong start from the champ. How will the youngster respond? The serve is his weapon and his first rips down the line, too fast for Nadal. The second is an ace, belted down from Draper’s six-foot-four frame, but he lobs long in a short rally for the third point. The Briton takes the fourth too after a 14-shot rally and wins the game with a brave thunderbolt up the guts. Too fast for Nadal. We’re all square.

Nadal* 1-0 Draper (* denotes server) Players commence battle. Rafa in familiar white bandanna and yolk-orange shirt. Draper in white T, sky-blue sneakers and a baseball cap reversed, a clear homage to hometown hero Lleyton Hewitt. Rafa’s first serve goes down the middle and Draper’s reply balloons off the frame. The second goes wide and Draper nets it. There’s a 12 shot rally for the third point, the ball bouncing high but Rafa takes the point and then the game to love.

Thanks Mike, Angus here. An early twist then. Draper won the toss but, despite boasting one of the best serves in the game, has elected to receive. A touch of nerves from the British world No 40? Or some chutzpah to throwing down the cudgel down to the defending champion? We’re about to find out… play about to begin.

Good afternoon, tennis fans. Welcome to our round one clash between Rafael Nadal and Jack Draper. Players are on court and there’s voluminous support all round from a packed centre court at Rod Laver Arena. Despite the furnace-like heat the combatants will have a quick warm up and then we’ll get to the action.

The players are spotted in the bowels of Rod Laver Arena. Nadal, as always, is doing his best impersonation of a Duracell bunny, a bundle of energy, in constant motion as he gears up for his first test of this Australian Open. Draper looks focused. After the long walk past the names of former champions etched onto the walls of the tunnel, out they come into the stadium, to rapturous applause. Draper first, and then Nadal.

Some useful factoids about Rafael Nadal, courtesy of AAP:

• Age: 36

• Ranking: 2

• Plays: left-handed (two-handed backhand)

• Career prize money: $US134,529,921

• Career titles: 92

• Grand slam titles: 22 (Australian Open 2009, 2022; French Open 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022; Wimbledon 2008, 2010; US Open 2010, 2013, 2017, 2019)

• Australian Open win-loss record: 76-15

• Best Australian Open results: champion 2009, 2022; runner-up 2012, 2014, 2017, 2019

• Men’s tennis’ most prolific grand slam title winner is defending his crown in Melbourne for the first time in 13 years after cashing in on Novak Djokovic’s absence 12 months ago. Elevated to top seed following the withdrawal of injured world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz.

While we wait, Emma Raducanu has also made it safely through to the second round. Here’s what our man on the ground Tumaini Carayol thought:

“After moving timidly in the early exchanges, Raducanu progressively improved throughout her time on court and she finished her Australian Open first round match on top of the baseline, completely outmatching Tamara Korpatsch of Germany as she comfortably moved into the second round with a 6-3, 6-2 win.”

Tumaini’s full report of that one is incoming, hang tight.

Maria Sakkari, the Greek No 6 seed, has indeed wrapped up a straight-sets win over Yuan Yue of China, 6-1, 6,4, so the 2009 and 2022 men’s champion Rafael Nadal will be up soon enough on Rod Laver. The in-form Jack Draper is his opponent. Tumaini Carayol had this to say about the clash:

The US duo Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff are also through to the second round. Pegula, the world No 3, was the first player to post victory earlier this morning at Melbourne Park – a routine 6-0, 6-1 victory over Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian – while seventh seeded Gauff needed seven match points in the final game of her opener to see off Czech Katerina Siniakova 6-1, 6-4.

A couple of big results to bring you up to speed with, then. First, a big one with a local flavour – rising star Olivia Gadecki, who is being mentored by none other than Ash Barty at this Open, won her first main draw grand slam match 7-5, 6-1 against teenage qualifier Polina Kudermetova. The 20-year-old was lost for words earlier, after becoming the first Australian into the second round of this year’s tournament.

“I actually can’t believe it. Wow, I’m speechless,” Gadecki said. “It’s such an amazing crowd, my home slam, my first-ever main-draw grand slam win. I mean, a girl can only dream.”

Emma Kemp’s report is on its way, stay tuned for more details.

Weather update: According to our woman on the ground, Emma Kemp, it’s “hot af” in Melbourne today. Emma, this is for the liveblog, have you any more printable details? “The mercury says 25C but with with humidity feels closer to 30, which means on court it will feel a few degrees hotter than that,” she elaborates. “It’s meant to hit 29 in an hour or so.” Right you are, hot af.

Preamble

Mike Hytner