LIVE from 2.30pm AEDT — Defending champion Rafael Nadal begins his Australian Open title defence on Monday afternoon, but has admitted he is ‘vulnerable’ thanks to a poor run of poor form and a brutal first-round task.
The 36-year-old top seed faces an extremely tricky first-round clash at Melbourne Park on Monday against emerging 21-year-old Briton Jack Draper, who reached the Adelaide semi-finals last week.
“Probably one of the toughest first rounds possible … young, powerful, growing very, very fast in the rankings, playing well,” Nadal said.
“A big challenge for me at the beginning to start the tournament. Let’s see. I’m here to just give myself a chance. I know he’s playing well.”
Follow the action below as Nadal takes on Draper (third match on Rod Laver Arena, not before 2.30pm AEDT).
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Rafa happy despite recent form concern | 00:51
Nadal has lost six of his last seven matches stretching back to defeat to Frances Tiafoe in the last 16 at the US Open.
Asked if he felt vulnerable, the defending champion admitted: “Of course, without a doubt.
“I have been losing more than usual, that’s part of the business. Just accept the situation. I think I am humble enough to accept that situation and just work with what I have today.
“I need to build again all this momentum. I need to build again this confidence with myself with victories. But it’s true that I have been losing more than usual.”
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Day 1 LIVE: Follow all the action from the opening day!
Fellow left-hander Draper has surged to a new career-high of 38th in the world on the back of his run in Adelaide, and is hotly-tipped to continue his run in 2023.
“It’ll be amazing to play on court with him, he’s a great champion,” Draper said of Nadal. “[There are] a lot of emotions obviously when I think of playing him … Whatever happens, it’ll be a special occasion for me, still very young in my career, so it’s great to have these sort of experiences and exposure to playing someone like Rafa on a big court like that.”
No defending Australian Open champion has lost in the first round since Boris Becker in 1997 – meaning Nadal will be desperate to avoid an ugly 25-year first.
Nadal, who recently became a father, swept past Russian Daniil Medvedev to win the Australian Open and a 21st Grand Slam title last year in an epic five-setter.
Despite losing his only two matches this year, Nadal insisted he was improving by the day and had practised more in the last few weeks than ever before.
“My personal momentum is not bad, I tell you. I am good and happy. I’m practising well,” he said.
“I feel faster in the legs. I feel I’m playing better with more confidence,” he added.
“The last three weeks of preparation here have been very positive from my point of view.”
Day 1 Order Of Play (All courts from 11am, all times AEDT)
Rod Laver Arena
Katerina Siniakova (CZE) v [7] Coco Gauff (USA)
Yue Yuan (CHN) v [6] Maria Sakkari (GRE)
Not before 2:30pm
[1] Rafael Nadal (ESP) v Jack Draper (GBR)
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