Australian Open : Rafael Nadal crashes out in first round .

Rafael-Nadal---hirmagazin.e
Rafael Nadal crashes out of Australian Open . Image Source : hirmagazin.eu

Melbourne : Rafael Nadal became the first biggest casualty of the Australian Open on Tuesday . Rafa was defeated by compatriot  Fernando Verdasco 7-6(6) 4-6 3-6 7-6(4) 6-2 to send the former world No.1 crashing out in the tournament’s opening round.

The first-round exit was 2009 champion Nadal’s first at Melbourne Park and only his second at a grand slam.

Down 2-0 in the final set, Verdasco dragged himself off  the canvas with a barrage of booming forehand winners, breaking Nadal twice to storm to a 5-2 lead.

He broke Verdasco a third time, sealing the match with a cross-court winner that left the Rod Laver Arena crowd stunned late in the day session.

Nadal debuted at the Australian Open in 2004 and reached the third round that year.

The last meeting between the pair at Melbourne Park was back in 2009 when they battled it our for over five hours in a semi-final won by Nadal.The Spaniard went on to win the tournament after his epic final four clash against Verdasco. He didn’t play the 2006 and 2013 Australian Opens.

In another upset , World no 133 Zhang Shuai shocked second seed Simona Halep . Zhang , who didn’t win a single grand slam match before defeated Halep in straight sets 6-4,6-3.

Australian Lleyton Hewitt cruised to the second round after defeating good friend and fellow Australian James Duckworth at the Rod Laver Arena. The Australian took 2 hours and 23 minutes to extend his run to the second round.

Chennai open winner Stanislas Wawrinka also entered the second round after his opponent Dmitry Tursunov retired with injury.

Venus Williams crashed out of the Australian open after losing 6-4,6-2 to Johanna Konta.

Victoria Azaranke blanked Alison van Uytvanck 6-0,6-0 to surge to the second round.

Second seed Andy Murray, brushed aside the challenge of Alexander Zverev.Murray won 6-1,6-2,6-3. The Brit will now meet Sam Groth in the second round who defeated Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 7-6,6-4,3-6 and 6-3 .

Third seed Garbine Murugaza had it easy in the first round as he outplayed Anett Kontaveit 6-0,6-4.

French Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated Marcos Baghdatis of  Cyprus 6-4,4-6,6-4,6-2  to enter the second round .