A couple of big results to bring you up to speed with, then. Nadal* 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 0-1 Draper (* denotes server) Nadal serves for ascendency in this fourth set. Ballboy accidently steals Rafael Nadal's racquet during first round win. "When you do things that you like to do, at the end of the day, it's not a sacrifice. “(To) experience what’s going on … the last couple of weeks on the court is not a big surprise. MAY: May 10 - 21: Internazionali BNL d'Italia, Rome, Italy. "The MRI shows a grade 2 injury in the iliopsoas muscle in my left leg. The right energy, the right attitude, and try to reach the level that I need to be competitive from the beginning. With pep in his step, Gatorade in his gut and a bit more air in his lungs, Nadal successfully serves out the first to get the upper hand. If there’s anyone who knows how to psychologically dismantle a young man on the rise, it’s him. Nadal, who won the Melbourne Major last year clad . font-size:15px; Good afternoon, tennis fans. Nadal* 7-5, 2-6, 4-1 Draper (* denotes server) Now it’s Jack Draper in trouble! Nadal muffs a drop of his own to deliver us 4-4. Look out for highlights, press conferences, memorable moments and much more!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AustralianOpenTwitter: https://twitter.com/australianopenInstagram: https://instagram.com/australianopen/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ausopenWebsite: https://ausopen.com/Follow breaking news, updates, highlights and more on:Nine (Australia): https://wwos.nine.com.auEurosport (Europe): https://www.eurosport.comESPN (Americas): https://www.espn.combeIN Sports (South East Asia, MENA): https://www.beinsports.comAnd visit: https://www.ausopen.com/broadcasters for all our broadcast partners worldwide Having arrived at the Australian Open with hopes of rebuilding his form, he now has to recover from a new injury. 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. Nadal has gone back to the old way, settling in to long rallies and waiting for his less-experienced opponent to make mistakes. The doctor revealed that Nadal has already begun his rehabilitation. Nadal suddenly looks nervy (it happens when you’ve earned over $130m in career prize-money, I hear). Rafael Nadal entered the 2023 Australian Open as the defending champion and as the No. Rafael Nadal won this rally of the match against Jack Draper in the first round of the Australian Open 2023. Nadal’s injury appeared to affect the mentality of McDonald, whose serve and groundstroke speed declined significantly. Aryna Sabalenka won the women's title, her first major singles title. Rafael Nadal won this rally of the match against Jack Draper in the first round of the Australian Open 2023.Subscribe to keep up with the latest from the Australian Open: http://bit.ly/AustralianOpenTVWelcome to the official Australian Open TV YouTube channel. Tiempo normal de recuperación 6 a 8 semanas. Suddenly he’s a break point down and trouble looms. April 26 - May 7: Madrid Open, Spain. A touch of nerves from the British world No 40? After four cross court daggers it’s too much for the young man and Nadal takes the opening point. Sure, he’s been a tad ragged coming into this tournament, losing six of his last seven matches (including gazumpings by Australian Alex de Minaur and Britain’s Cameron Norrie in the United Cup) but a first round exit in his 2022 title defence is now dawning as a terrible reality. Nadal* 7-5, 2-6, 4-3 Draper (* denotes server) Nadal’s fist-pump is back! But of course it's tiring and frustrating to [spend] a lot of my tennis career on recovering process and trying to fight against all this stuff all the time. “The only thing that I can do is just keep working, keep doing the things that I need to do to give myself a chance to start with real chances in 2023. The veteran Australian has rallied from 2 sets to 1 down to defeat Switzerland's Marc-Andrea Huesler 6-7, 7-5, 6-7, 6-2, 6-3 in an epic encounter, which lasted over 4 . .is-mobile .scores-daily-schedule-content td.day-table-seed, .scores-results-content td.day-table-seed { 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. He had missed most of the second half of the 2021 season with a chronic foot injury and had been bed-ridden with COVID-19 shortly before leaving . The first grand slam of the new tennis season gets underway on January 16 in Melbourne and the 2023 Australian Open is set to provide no end of intriguing storylines. Bang! Better like this at the end. Watch the highlights between Rafael Nadal and Mackenzie Mcdonald in the second round of the Australian Open 2023. Spaniard reflects on loss to McDonald. January 18th, 2023 11:47 pm. "First of all it's a little rest but we will begin some rehabilitation and after six weeks we will see what happens... and then obviously he'll start playing tennis very slowly.". Top men's seed Rafael Nadal saw his Australian Open title defense come crashing down Wednesday, with a mid-match injury hampering the 22-time . Draper’s next return skims the seagulls. As the reigning champion and No.1 seed, Nadal is favored to win the title for a third time. Ángel Ruiz Cotorro was one of three doctors who were present at Rafael Nadal’s operation on Friday in Barcelona, along with Jaume Vilaró and Marc Philippon, through whose hands other players such as Gustavo Kuerten, Milos Raonic and Lleyton Hewitt have passed. We’d recommend you download a new browser if you'd like to continue keeping up with all of the latest tennis news! Rafael Nadal is out of the Australian Open. This time it’s a drive down the line that goes an inch awry. Nadal 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 3-1 Draper* (* denotes server) Draper serving to stay in it. “You never know what to read into moments like that,” Jim Courier said on Channel Nine. It’s a tough day, and you need to accept that, and keep going.”. “All the remaining part of the tendon is healthy and will regenerate, but it needs time to regenerate and it needs to be treated in a way that allows that to happen.”. Rafael Nadal is the men’s singles reigning champion and Ashleigh Barty is the women’s singles reigning champion. But Nadal had hoped that the mere act of winning was a sufficient step forward. That accursed Draper drop shot undoes the good work though. Rafael Nadal loses at 2023 Australian Open: End looks near - Sports Illustrated The Spaniard, just a year after winning the Australian Open, was ousted in straight sets in the second. Some over-zealous official or the cheekiest fan of the tournament so far? Emma Raducanu moves into the Australian Open second round with a 6-3 6-2 win over Tamara Korpatsch.Raducanu looked tentative with her ankle early on, but improved as the match wore on. “I don’t know if I’m going to reach that level again, but what I don’t have any doubt (about is) that I’m going to die for it.”. Righto, with that, I’ll leave you in the capable hands of my colleague Angus Fontaine who will take you through the match. Nadal* 7-5, 2-6, 1-0 Draper (* denotes server) As this round one match enters its third hour, the first games of this third set become all-important. "But what I don't have any doubt, that I going to die for it." The Briton takes the fourth too after a 14-shot rally and wins the game with a brave thunderbolt up the guts. He takes tit without dropping a point and regains the lead in this set and it’s an evermore desperate Draper under the pump. .tourney-details.action-buttons a[href*="560/live-scores"] { 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. But Nadal waits and watches and when the moment presents itself, he seizes it. Draper shuffles into the shadows, broken but better for the experience, and Nadal swaggers into the second round. That’s not mean that I am not sad about the results, but something that can happen, no? Error Nadal! In what he later described as a "funny situation", tennis star Rafael Nadal lost his racquet at the opening first round of the Australian Open 2023 when he played against Jack Draper in Melbourne on Monday. Now it's time for sports rest and anti-inflammatory physiotherapy. Spain's Rafael Nadal is the defending men's champion and will be chasing a record-extending 23rd men's Grand Slam singles title, but . Nadal was initially expected to be out of action for eight weeks after suffering the injury but it ended up decimating his season. But Draper can outlast opponents too. Nadal 5-5 Draper* (* denotes server) Jack Draper is sweating now. He won 35 of his first 38 matches of the season, but physical cracks were already beginning to show. Nadal had arrived in Melbourne having lost six of his previous seven matches going back to his loss to Frances Tiafoe in the fourth round of the US Open and this new defeat marks the 36-year-old’s third loss out of four matches in 2023. Any rain drop hitting the scorch of this court can’t last long. January 18th, 2023 11:50 pm An injury-affected Rafael Nadal has been knocked out of the Australian Open, ending the top seed's title defence. Last updated on 18 January 202318 January 2023.From the section Tennis. Draper knows there’s blood in the water and is swinging for the fences. Rafael Nadal's press conference following his defeat to Mackenzie McDonald in the second round of the Australian Open 2023.Subscribe to keep up with the latest from the Australian Open: http://bit.ly/AustralianOpenTVWelcome to the official Australian Open TV YouTube channel. Wow, I’m speechless,” Gadecki said. Draper first, and then Nadal. The big left-hander cannons Nadal’s return down the line to take it to 40-0. “At the end, you need to keep going, no? .summary-tbody td[data-type*='Rating'] { Those long levers are box office. Rafa now has 27 unforced errors for the match and his problems are mounting as the 21-year-old Draper slowly overpowers him. It is also Nadal’s fourth loss to an American player over the past four months after also losing to Tiafoe, Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz in recent tournaments. Emma Kemp’s report is on its way, stay tuned for more details. Nadal 7-5, 0-2 Draper* (* denotes server) Early break to Draper and it’s game on! 5.12pm - Auger-Aliassime comes from two sets down The in-form Jack Draper is his opponent. Watch the highlights between Rafael Nadal and Mackenzie Mcdonald in the second round of the Australian Open 2023.\rSubscribe to keep up with the latest from the Australian Open: http://bit.ly/AustralianOpenTVWelcome to the official Australian Open TV YouTube channel. Rafael Nadal will have to wait longer to potentially win his 23rd Grand Slam. La resonancia magnética muestra una lesión grado 2 en el Psoas Iliaco de su pierna izquierda. Nadal gets to 40-0 but double faults. He immediately took a medical timeout after McDonald held for 5-3, with Nadal’s players box visibly emotional as the 21-time grand slam champion spent time off the court. New to Kayo? The top seed took an early exit from the 2023 Australian Open on Wednesday as he was eliminated in the second. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for more sports updates. 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. It doesn’t look like Saville Row but the wardrobe change has nonetheless given him a boost. Draper’s error rate is climbing and as the match hits the four-hour mark and Nadal takes the game, it’s the defending champion now looking the better. 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. He also withdrew from his Wimbledon semi-final last year with an abdominal injury he picked up in the previous match, and the same injury then hampered him at the US Open, where he suffered a fourth-round exit against Frances Tiafoe and appeared to injure his rib. The 11-major drought is the longest for U.S. women since Seles won the 1996 Australian Open. Mackenzie Mcdonald celebrates during his defeat of Rafael Nadal. The serve is his weapon and his first rips down the line, too fast for Nadal. The Spaniard defeated Casper Ruud 7-5 7-5 on Thursday at the ATP Finals in Turin, snapping a four-match losing streak. Nadal* 4-3 Draper (* denotes server) Lovely touch by the top seed! “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. Again. Aussie tennis great Todd Woodbridge has made a prediction about how Rafael Nadal will plan for his retirement following his second round loss in the Australian Open, with a curtain . Wrong option Jack, and it gets the punishment it deserved. “So let’s try it. Nadal 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 5-1 Draper* (* denotes server) It’s been a brave effort by Jack Draper but the end looks nigh now. The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. Rafael Nadal will seek a title defense in Melbourne at the start of 2023. He said it was his love of the sport that keeps him going amid the injury setbacks. Both opening points here go to rallies in this third game but Nadal’s court positioning is better. .tourney-details.action-buttons a[href*="watch-live"] { Ángel Ruiz Cotorro was one of three doctors who were present at Rafael Nadal's operation on Friday in Barcelona, along with Jaume Vilaró and Marc Philippon, through whose hands other players such as Gustavo Kuerten, Milos Raonic and Lleyton Hewitt have passed.. “It’s an operation that allows you to do some things, but not others. Nadal injured his hip during his 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 loss to unseeded American Mackenzie McDonald in their second-round match on Rod Laver Arena. All rights reserved. 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. 16 January 2023 Australian Open and Kia extend historic partnership to 2028 Court officials are conferring and it looks like we’re back. Nadal’s wife Maria was seen tearing up in Nadal’s players box as he came off the court. He will be in a period of limited rehabilitation for 10 days, then he will start to work in the pool and on the bike,” Ruiz Cotorro said. These included a cracked rib during the Indian Wells final – he missed the next six weeks of competition – and a foot nerve procedure, ruling him out of grass-court lead-ups to Wimbledon. Jan 16, 2023, 6:47 PM PST. This shower doesn’t look serious though. Draper whips a Nadal return wide for deuce and Nadal punishes him on the next, as a long rally ends with Nadal swatting a volley home. “The decision to operate was made recently,” admitted Cotorro. He wins both opening rallies and then draws Draper into the net for the third point. Nadal 7-5, 2-6, 4-2 Draper* (* denotes server) One trainer per leg for Jack Draper. Injured Rafael Nadal says he is "mentally destroyed" after his Australian Open title defence came to an end in the second round. But he saves it with another huge serve that kicks too much for Nadal to control, gets it to deuce. Welcome to our round one clash between Rafael Nadal and Jack Draper. Spanish Rafael Nadal pictured at the 2023 'Australian Open' is sitting out the French Open due to an injury. He will then head to Melbourne Park as the defending champion at the Australian Open. Commentary every day from 07:00 GMT on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 'Tennis Breakfast' live from Melbourne, with selected live text commentaries and match reports on the BBC Sport website & app, Alerts: Get tennis news sent to your phone, Stanley Tucci and his best friend talk about their love of food and art. Tennis Australia acknowledges that the AO is held on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country and we extend our respects to Elders past and present and to all First Nations People. At deuce the two go toe-to-toe at the net with five volleys in six seconds before Nadal pulls one wide. Tennis fans cannot be more excited as the 2023 Australian Open is all set to begin in just over a week's time. Rafa in familiar white bandanna and yolk-orange shirt. What was already a poor start to 2023, after a year marred by all manner of health issues, reached a low point at the Australian Open on Wednesday. Can Rafael Nadal find gas in the tank and enough old wiles to get back in this match? Spain's Rafael Nadal will enter the tournament as the defending men's singles champion, while on the women's side, the title will not be defended as reigning champion Ashleigh Barty announced her shock retirement last year. “I didn’t want to retire, to be defending champion here. If you already have the Guardian app, make sure you’re on the most recent version. 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. The crowd roar. "I really hope that it doesn't put me out of the court for a long time," Nadal said. “Exercise that affects the tendon must be eliminated. No. Nadal* 7-5, 2-6, 5-4 Draper (* denotes server) More Nadal mistakes. But he’s on the slide and Nadal is on the rise. While we wait, Emma Raducanu has also made it safely through to the second round. Top seed Iga Swiatek steps up to reach Australian Open third round, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, © 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Draper is anxious to capitalise. It’s currently 2:06pm local time. At 3-4 in the second set against McDonald, the Spaniard chased a forehand wide and aggravated an injury that he admitted he had felt for a couple of days. Rafa held at love in game ten to wrap up the set and force a decider after four hours and 12 minutes, firmly believing in . Nadal 7-5, 1-5 Draper* (* denotes server) Another Nadal mistake! The tournament takes place on 25 hard courts, including Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena and John Cain Arena. © Copyright 1994 - 2022 ATP Tour, Inc. All Rights Reserved. He’s now two break points in arrears and saves one when Draper goes long. When the next rally hits double figures it’s Nadal who loses his nerve first. Neither player looks 100% physically and it’s down to an arm wrestle. But Draper nets the next and double faults again. I know it's not forever. Some useful factoids about Rafael Nadal, courtesy of AAP: 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), Best Australian Open results: champion 2009, 2022; runner-up 2012, 2014, 2017, 2019. Draper is in Wimbledon-appropriate all white, with just a splash of colour in his sweatband and cap. However, going under the knife was not something that the 22-time major champion’s medical team was considering. He’s lost 8% power from his major weapon but he’s finding one percenters wherever he can. padding-left: 0px; Observers contemplated the possibility he might complete an extraordinary calendar-year Grand Slam. “Can’t say that I am not destroyed mentally at this time, because I will be lying. Chief among them is the . But even the most veteran tennis players can still experience career firsts. The 2023 Australian Open starts on January 16 in Melbourne where Rafael Nadal will be the defending men's champion while women's world No. 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. It’s the news that Nick Kyrgios has just withdrawn from the Australian Open with a knee injury. Then he draws ahead when Nadal slips behind the baseline. Nadal has two wins at this tournament and 22 collectively as the most successful men's singles . Sometimes you feel super tired about all this stuff in terms of injuries,” said Nadal, “Can’t come here or can’t come here and say, lying, that the life is fantastic and staying positive and keep fighting. Nadal* 1-0 Draper (* denotes server) Players commence battle. It allowed Nadal to continue holding his serve despite looking well and truly laboured. Nadal 2-2 Draper* (* denotes server) So far so good for the Spaniard. He loses the last two points rather than Nadal winning them to gift his rival a game. Despite his own glaring form and confidence issues, Nadal emerged from a tense, scrappy match with his first win of the 2023 season, outlasting Draper 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 to reach the second round . The arthroscopic surgery on the left psoas tendon injury, which has kept Nadal sidelined since this year’s Australian Open, consisted of cleaning the fibrotic and degenerated areas of the tendon both proximal and distal, as well as stitching it to adequately reinforce it. Ahora toca reposo deportivo y fisioterapia anti inflamatoria. A ball boy unwittingly caused chaos when he seemingly took one of Rafael Nadal's rackets. 2 seed Casper Ruud was also ousted in the second round as American Jenson Brooksby pulled off a 6-3 7-5 6-7 (4 . “We had a core issue — injuring a muscle is not the same as a tendon. The 22-time major singles champion had felt hip pain for . Martin Keep/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images By Matthew Futterman Jan. 18, 2023 MELBOURNE,. The veteran is short on patience and seems to be adopting a guns-blazing approach that was heavily criticised in his lead-in games. Will it show? Australian Open 2023 day one: Rafael Nadal beats Jack Draper - as it happened No 1 seed opens his campaign with 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 win 'Devastated' Kyrgios pulls out of Open with knee. 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. Editor's note: This story was translated from ATPTour.com/es. Or will the heavy march of Father Time echo from the footsteps of future star Jack Draper? going back to his loss to Frances Tiafoe in the fourth round of the US Open, winning his 22nd grand slam title at the French Open, he continues to suffer from a constant stream of injuries, he sustained an abdominal injury at Wimbledon, Top seed beaten 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 by Mackenzie McDonald, Spaniard struggles with form before body betrays him. Unable to leap and lunge, he stands and delivers instead. We can see you’re using Internet Explorer, and wanted to let you know that we will no longer be supporting this browser in future. 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. Nadal 1-1 Draper* (* denotes server) Strong start from the champ. Favorite us! #NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/VkmjQjE6DV. But the 36-year-old arrives at the Australian Open in a slump, having lost . How will Draper respond on serve? It hasn’t affected Draper. Rafael Nadal arrived in Melbourne in a tough moment, having lost six of his previous seven matches. Nadal wins fourth set, defeats Draper 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1! Draper is hanging on. Players are on court and there’s voluminous support all round from a packed centre court at Rod Laver Arena. As the crowd stood to cheer Nadal off, the two-time Australian Open champion took in the atmosphere as he came from the arena, with some wondering if it was the last time he would feature at the event. Bad timing for Draper who has fought back from that first set implosion to build a two game lead. Draper takes the next two points to get it to deuce. } Rafael Nadal returned to the Australian Open this year in the midst of one of the leanest periods of form in his career, charged with racing against the clock to find confidence and feel against rivals determined to seize a rare opportunity against a vulnerable champion. Draper won the toss but, despite boasting one of the best serves in the game, has elected to receive. The first grand slam of the new tennis season gets underway on January 16 in Melbourne and the 2023 Australian Open is set to provide no end of intriguing storylines. They deliver a rousing cheer to the two-time Australian Open winner as he banishes the errors to get to 40-0. Nadal and Jack Draper at the net at the end of the match. It’s the gamesmanship letting him down, as shown on the next point where he feathers a drop shot Nadal reaches on the run. I think, but that's not easy.". "It doesn't matter the chances that you have. What already was a poor start to 2023, following a year marred by all manner of health issues, reached a low point at the Australian Open on Wednesday. Nadal 7-5, 2-6, 3-1 Draper *(* denotes server) Jack Draper appears to be cramping from the waist down and the neck up. border-left: 2px solid; He’s gone up a gear to combat the charge of his 20-year-old rival. Weather update: According to our woman on the ground, Emma Kemp, it’s “hot af” in Melbourne today. “Have been six tough months in all ways… (to) be here (at the ATP Finals) is positive,” Nadal said after losing to Auger-Aliassime. Good performance. Can the Spaniard snuff out this comeback before it’s too late? Nadal* 3-2 Draper (* denotes server) Nadal nets his first serve, lets the second but lands the third. Rafael Nadal is the men’s singles reigning champion and Ashleigh Barty is the women’s singles reigning champion. Maybe it’s the cramps subsiding. Despite his best efforts, Nadal found himself facing break points serving at 5-all, managing to save just one before McKenzie broke for 6-5. .tourney-details.action-buttons a[href*="watch-live"] { Despite the furnace-like heat the combatants will have a quick warm up and then we’ll get to the action. Back at the Australian Open for the first time since his epic five-set comeback in the 2022 final, top seed Rafael Nadal won another see-saw match in Rod Laver Arena to kickstart his title defence on Monday afternoon. Draper is a young buck on the up and, with a head full of steam and a break in his pocket, looks dangerous. "It will depend on the evolution. Despite losing six of his last seven matches, the top seed looks crisp and confident. The Australian Open is the first Grand Slam of the year and takes place in Melbourne. Nadal is landing 62% of first serves and winning 81% whereas Draper is hitting 39% of his first serves and winning 73%. However, with two break points in his skyrocket, the folly of youth strikes again. Draper’s power wins the rally for him this time and Nadal’s rusty returns gift him the next two points and the game. Nadal* 7-5, 0-3 Draper (* denotes server) That light vapour has revived Rafael Nadal. (modern). When we put it under large loads, the tendon was not responding because it was not strong enough.”. Although Nadal asserted that he remains extremely motivated to continue working towards regaining his top form, it certainly isn’t easy. Over 70 per cent of Nadal’s serves have gone down the T in this match but Draper’s return rate has improved dramatically in this second set and the champion is having to look elsewhere for points. “It’s meant to hit 29 in an hour or so.” Right you are, hot af. The iliopsoas muscle is located in the hip. Neale Fraser, Australia’s former Davis Cup captain, a noted big server in his playing days is cheering for an upset by the looks. Nadal marked his 37th birthday in hospital on Saturday, rather than at the French Open, where his presence has been hugely missed by fans at Roland Garros this year. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. Rafael Nadal will miss the French Open for the first time since he made his debut in 2005 after the 14-time champion announced on Thursday that he has withdrawn from the tournament due to injury . That was a fine return by Draper. Nadal apologises to Draper for the bizarre delay and it’s all smiles but the momentum is broken. I like to feel myself competitive. "The MRI shows a grade 2 injury in the iliopsoas muscle in my . Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. It's all the amount of work that you need to put together to come back at a decent level. “It’s such an amazing crowd, my home slam, my first-ever main-draw grand slam win. He sends it skyward to yield the point then booms a forehand long to give Nadal a double sniff. “Couple of positive things: I was able to play two tournaments in the last three weeks, something that I was not able to do it for a while. Look out for highlights, press conferences, memorable moments and much more!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AustralianOpenTwitter: https://twitter.com/australianopenInstagram: https://instagram.com/australianopen/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ausopenWebsite: https://ausopen.com/Follow breaking news, updates, highlights and more on:Nine (Australia): https://wwos.nine.com.auEurosport (Europe): https://www.eurosport.comESPN (Americas): https://www.espn.combeIN Sports (South East Asia, MENA): https://www.beinsports.comAnd visit: https://www.ausopen.com/broadcasters for all our broadcast partners worldwide Another sharp Rafa volley seals it. Their champion is still in it. Key game here and after one rally apiece, Nadal uncorks a sublime drop shot to get 30-15 ahead. Watch the highlights of Rafael Nadal v Jack Draper in the first round of the Australian Open 2023.Subscribe to keep up with the latest from the Australian Op.