Nadal won the first two games of the final set, but Verdasco won the next six, completing his victory with a 96 miles per hour cross-court victor.
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Fifth seed Nadal lost to Fernando Verdasco in five sets with the Spanish left-handers producing an exhibition of hard-hitting to thrill those inside the Rod Laver Arena over four hours and 40 minutes.
Hewitt, victor of two Grand Slam singles titles, is competing in his last Australian Open and delighted the crowd in Melbourne by progressing to the second round.
Verdasco went for everything on his ground strokes, ripping 90 winners against only 37 for Nadal as he worked to the extremes to unsettle his former top-ranked rival.
It was Nadal’s earliest Australian Open exit in 11 appearances, and is only the second opening round loss in his Grand Slam career.
“I don’t know a hundred percent the reason”, Nadal said of his inability to close out matches he once was masterful at doing to Tennis.com.
“I think I played unbelievable in the final set from that early break and I started hitting winners”, said the 45th-ranked Verdasco.
Verdasco, 32, sealed the 4hr 41min classic in style, breaking Nadal’s serve for a third time in the set with a crosscourt victor.
“The match is a tough lose for me, especially because is not like last year that I arrived here playing bad and feeling myself not ready for it. This year was a completely different story”.
“I had many problems in this period before coming here, so I can say that I am a little bit down mentally because I was very homesick”.
The world’s No. 5 player suffered a stunning, first-round upset in the Australian Open at the hands of fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 7-6 (6), 4-6, 3-6, 7-6 (4) 6-2.
One of the best came on match point, when the World No. 45 cracked a huge return of serve that flew beyond Nadal’s reach.
Two-time champion Victoria Azarenka enjoyed one of the most one-sided wins of her career when she “double-bagelled” Alisan van Uytvanck 6-0 6-0 in just 53 minutes. The game has become a little bit more insane in this aspect.
“I tried to change… but she beat me – she was just better today”. Obviously you get asked the same questions for quite a few months leading into this tournament, then it’s there, and you don’t fully know how you’re going to react until you’re out there on the match court.
Skipping the presser isn’t a good look for her, who has bowed out of the first two tournaments she’s played in during 2016 in the opening round. Let’s keep going. That’s the only thing.
The men played the fourth set similar to the first set, but Nadal wore down towards the end.
“My first one, I think”, she said.
“I have been playing and practicing great”, he said.
“I’m hoping my phone hasn’t been buzzing in my bag”.
Also, Venus Williams’s dreams of winning a first Australian Open title at the age of 35 were shattered when she was beaten 6-4, 6-2 by British No. 1 Johanna Konta.
“It was something I’ve never experienced in a match, so it was very unfortunate”, Tomic said.
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Joining him the second round will be No. 8 David Ferrer, No. 10 John Isner and No. 18 Feliciano Lopez.
