But Verdasco, who belted 90 winners in the course of the 4 hours 41 minutes, unexpectedly raised his game and the reeled off both a succession of winners and games.
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Nadal would push such suggestions to one side as he claimed the crucial second break to edge the set 6-4, with the pair separated by just a single point, Nadal outscoring Verdasco 38 points to 37.
Verdasco, who has reached the quarterfinals or better in four Grand Slams, ended the match by smashing a forehand return of serve for a victor.
For Verdasco, his opening-round upset had to feel like sweet redemption.
Nadal’s early exit was not the only surprise on the second day of the competition. The boost appeared to put some life in Halep, who enjoyed a 3-1 start to the second set, but Zhang never gave up.
Not including French Open victories, Nadal has won just one major (2013 U.S. Open) since his dominant 2010 season, when he won three of the four major tournaments.
“I have been playing and practicing great”, he said.
On top of Halep’s stunning exit, Johanna Konta knocked out Serena’s sister, Venus, in straight sets as well.
It was a rough day at the office for the older Williams sister, who decided to make an even quicker exit from the tournament by skipping her post-match press conference.
“Still now they come to me telling me like how good I play seven years ago”.
Spain’s Garbine Muguruza, seeded third, saw off Anett Kontaveit of Estonia with a 6-0 6-4 win, while seventh seed Angelique Kerber progressed with a 6-7 7-6 6-3 victory over Misaki Doi.
Verdasco, full name Fernando Verdasco Carmona, was born in November 15, 1983 and began playing tennis when he was four years old, practising with his father on the two hard courts in the backyard of their family home.
MURRAY’S AUSSIE STREAK: Statistically speaking, Sam Groth shouldn’t stand a chance against Andy Murray when the pair meet in the last day match on Rod Laver Arena.
“Winning against Rafa in five sets here, coming from two sets to one down, is an unbelievable feeling”. “You have to be proactive I think with things like this and go and speak to the players rather than them reading about it in the newspapers or listening to it on the TV or the radio”.
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.
For Nadal, it was his worst display at the Australian Open. And he still wilted in the fifth set against a player who beat him for only the third time in 17 meetings.
In the men’s event, Australian Lleyton Hewitt prolonged his stay in professional tennis by overcoming fellow wildcard entry and compatriot James Duckworth 7-6, 6-2 6-4. “Kim will message my team if anything goes on and we’ll see what happens”, he said. “Playing “Ducks” as well who I’ve tried to help out the last few years-that was really awkward”. Earlier in the week, Australian Open officials had christened Day 2 of the tournament “C’mon Day” in honour of what could have potentially been the final match of Hewitt’s career.
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A scorching backhand down the line opened the tiebreak for Verdasco and he finished it with a booming serve to take the match into a deciding fifth set.
