Updates and match reports throughout Day 2 of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park.
Rafael Nadal and Simona Halep were sent crashing out of the Australian Open first round on Tuesday as a dramatic day of upsets shifted the landscape of the year’s first Grand Slam.
Nadal suffered one of the worst Grand Slam results of his career as he was stunned by fellow Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco in a five-set thriller which recalled their epic 2009 semi-final.
Halep, the women’s world No 2, soon followed him out in an almighty upset by Chinese qualifier Zhang Shuai -- who wept freely as she won her first Grand Slam match in 15 attempts.
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While Halep’s defeat to Zhang, the world number 133, came out of the blue, it was Nadal’s loss which created concern as the 14-time Grand Slam-winner increasingly looks a fading force.
Nadal, 29, has only ever lost once before in a Grand Slam first round, at Wimbledon 2013, but he has not gone further than the quarter-finals at the majors since he won the 2014 French Open.
“It’s tough, but at the same time, I know I did everything that I can to be ready for it,” said Nadal, after 45th-ranked Verdasco’s 7-6 (8/6), 4-6, 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 win in four hours, 41 minutes.
“Was not my day. Let’s keep going. That’s the only thing. There is no more thing to do than keep practising hard, keep practising the same way that I was doing the last four, five months.”
The big upsets at least drew attention away from a match-fixing controversy which hit the start of the tournament after a report said top players had been under suspicion but never punished.
Andy Murray, a four-time finalist who is seeking his first win in Melbourne, dispatched Germany’s Alexander Zverev 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 in hot conditions to move into the second round.
Afterwards the world number two, who is awaiting the imminent birth of his first child and has pledged to race home if his wife goes into labour, immediately checked his phone for news.
“I’m hoping my phone hasn’t been buzzing in my bag. Kim will message my team if anything goes on and we’ll see what happens,” he said.
Read more:
Forgettable 2015, and 2016 has not started much better for Rafael Nadal
Tennis match-fixing claims: World No 2 Andy Murray urges transparency ‘We deserve to know’
Rising star Garbine Muguruza beat Estonian debutante Anett Kontaveit 6-0, 6-4 in one hour exactly -- and immediately set her sights on dethroning Serena Williams in the final.
“To win the Grand Slam here you are going to have to beat Serena (Williams). It will be great if I can play against her,” said the confident Spanish world number three.
Temperatures of 33 Celsius (91.4 Fahrenheit) took their toll and Diego Schwartzman was stretchered off after retiring in the fourth set against John Millman with cramps.
While Murray and Muguruza motored through, seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams suffered an early exit when she lost to British number one Johanna Konta 6-4, 6-2.
Williams, 35, was the oldest player in the women’s draw but Konta said it would be “silly” to focus on the American’s age.
“I think it would be silly to look at Venus’ age and somehow consider that as a reflection of her level,” said the 24-year-old.
“I think it’s irrelevant how old she is because she’s such a champion with so much experience and so much knowledge about the game.”
Photo gallery: Rafael Nadal and Simona Halep among first-round casualties
Milos Raonic, who is now working with Carlos Moya and beat Roger Federer in this month’s Brisbane final, breezed past Lucas Pouille and into the second round.
But it was a different story for Gilles Muller, who came through four tie-breaks to beat Fabio Fognini, but not before the Italian showed flashes of his famous temper.
Jeremy Chardy had an even bigger struggle, winning the fifth-set 13-11 to finally overcome Ernests Gulbis after four hours and 43 minutes.
In the evening matches, former champion Stan Wawrinka advanced to the second round after his Russian opponent Dmitry Tursunov retired with an injury.
The Swiss fourth seed was leading 7-6 (7/2), 6-3 when Tursunov called it quits at the start of the third set.
Retiring Australian veteran Lleyton Hewitt beat compatriot James Duckworth in his opening round match of his farewell Australian Open.
The two-time major winner and former world No 1 overcame Duckworth 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, 6-4 and will next face Spanish eighth seed David Ferrer.
Australian Open resaults from Day 2 (Wednesday)
Men
Fernando Verdasco (ESP) bt Rafael Nadal (ESP) 7-6 (8/6), 4-6, 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2
Dudi Sela (ISR) bt Benjamin Becker (GER) 6-1, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2
Andrey Kuznetsov (RUS) bt Ryan Harrison (USA) 7-5, 6-4, 6-4
Jeremy Chardy (FRA x30) bt Ernests Gulbis (LAT) 7-5, 2-6, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 13-11
Gael Monfils (FRA x23) bt Yuichi Sugita (JPN) 6-1, 6-3, 6-2
Nicolas Mahut (FRA) bt Marco Cecchinato (ITA) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2
Stephane Robert (FRA) bt Bjorn Fratangelo (USA) 6-2, 6-2, 6-2
Rajeev Ram (USA) bt Kevin Anderson (RSA x11) 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 3-0 abandon
Milos Raonic (CAN x13) bt Lucas Pouille (FRA) 6-1, 6-4, 6-4
Tommy Robredo (ESP) bt Malek Jaziri (TUN) 7-5, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7), 8-6
Tim Smyczek (USA) bt Daniel Gimeno (ESP) 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
Jack Sock (USA x25) bt Taylor Fritz (USA) 6-4, 3-6, 0-6, 6-3, 6-4
Radek Stepanek (CZE) bt Tatsuma Ito (JPN) 6-4, 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2
David Ferrer (ESP) bt Peter Gojowczyk (GER) 6-4, 6-4, 6-2
Thomaz Belluci (BRA) bt Jordan Thompson (AUS) 6-2, 6-3, 6-2
Steve Johnson (USA x31) bt Aljaz Bedene (GBR) 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3)
Feliciano Lopez (ESP x18) bt Daniel Evans (GBR) 6-1, 6-0, 6-4
Guido Pella (ARG) bt Steve Darcis (BEL) 2-6, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-1
Marcel Granollers (ESP) bt Matthew Ebden (AUS) 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
John Isner (USA x10) bt Jerzy Janowicz (POL) 6-3, 7-6 (9/7), 6-3
Bernard Tomic (AUS x16) bt Denis Istomin (UZB) 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
Simone Bolelli (ITA) bt Brian Baker (USA) 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (2/7), 7-6 (7/5)
John Millman (AUS) bt Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 3-6, 5-7, 7-6 (7/2), 5-0 abandon
Gilles Muller (LUX) bt Fabio Fognini (ITA x20) 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (9/7), 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/1)
Joao Sousa (POR x32) bt Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) 6-3, 6-4, 6-3
Santiago Giraldo (COL) bt Donald Young (USA) 6-4, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2
Sam Groth (AUS) bt Adrian Mannarino (FRA) 7-6 (8/6), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
Andy Murray (GBR x2) bt Alexander Zverev (GER) 6-1, 6-2, 6-3
Women
Angelique Kerber (GER x7) bt Misaki Doi (JPN) 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (8/6), 6-3
Alexandra Dulgheru (ROM) bt Storm Sanders (AUS) 6-4, 6-2
Madison Brengle (USA) bt Coco Vandeweghe (USA) 6-3, 6-4
Johanna Larsson (SWE) bt Irina Begu (ROM x29) 6-3, 6-2
Jelena Jankovic (SRB x19) bt Polona Hercog (SLO) 6-3, 6-3
Laura Siegemund (GER) bt Kiki Bertens (NED) 6-4, 7-5
Annika Beck (GER) bt Priscilla Hon (AUS) 6-0, 6-3
Timea Bacsinszky (SWI x11) bt Katerina Siniakova (CZE) 6-3, 7-5
Danka Kovinic (MNE) bt Samantha Crawford (USA) 6-2, 6-4
Naomi Osaka (JPN) bt Donna Vekic (CRO) 6-3, 6-2
Elina Svitolina (UKR x18) bt Victoria Duval (USA) 6-2, 6-3
Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) bt Caroline Garcia (FRA x32) 6-2, 6-4
Vania King (USA) bt Mona Barthel (GER) 3-6, 7-5, 6-4
Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) bt Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO) 5-7, 6-2, 7-5
Garbine Muguruza (ESP x3) bt Anett Kontaveit (EST) 6-0, 6-4
Johanna Konta (GBR) bt Venus Williams (USA x8) 6-4, 6-2
Zheng Saisai (CHN) bt Carina Witthoeft (GER) 6-1, 6-2
Denisa Allertova (CZE) bt Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3
Sabine Lisicki (GER x30) bt Petra Cetkovska (CZE) 6-4, 6-4
Ekaterina Makarova (RUS x21) bt Maddison Inglis (AUS) 6-3, 6-0
Tatjana Malek (GER) bt Olga Govortsova (BLR) 6-4, 6-3
Julia Gorges (GER) bt Andreea Mitu (ROM) 6-3, 6-4
Karolina Pliskova (CZE x9) bt Kimberly Birrell (AUS) 6-4, 6-4
Madison Keys (USA x15) bt Zarina Diyas (KAZ) 7-6 (7/5), 6-1
Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) bt Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) 6-4, 6-4
Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) bt Jarmila Gajdosova (AUS) 6-0, 4-2 abandon
Ana Ivanovic (SRB x20) bt Tammi Patterson (AUS) 6-2, 6-3
Varvara Lepchenko (USA) bt Lesya Tsurenko (UKR) 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-3
Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) bt Maryna Zanevska (UKR) 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-3
Alize Cornet (FRA) bt Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) 6-1, 6-0
Zhang Shuai (CHN) bt Simona Halep (ROM x2) 6-4, 6-3
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