Verdasco looked headed for the exit when he trailed 0-2 early in the fifth set, only to reel off six straight games to snatch only his third victory in 17 encounters with Nadal.
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“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.
After all, it was Verdasco who hung tough with Nadal for more than five hours in the semifinals of the 2009 Australian Open, taking Nadal the distance before falling in the final set.
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.
“I was closing my eyes and everything was coming in so I kept doing it”, Verdasco said with a mixture of humility and disbelief in a post-match interview.
The world No. 45 sealed the classic in style, breaking Nadal’s serve for a third time in the set with a flashing cross-court victor.
Elsewhere, two-time champ Victoria Azarenka sent a strong message to the rest of the field with a 6-0, 6-0 hammering of Belgium’s Alison Van Uytvanck in just 53 minutes in the final match of the second day’s play.
“I was practising a little bit different, trying to be more aggressive”.
Andy Murray, a four-time finalist who is seeking his first title in Melbourne, dispatched Germany s Alexander Zverev 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 in hot conditions to move into the second round.
Nadal said he was facing new challenges, with world number one Novak Djokovic now dominating the Grand Slams and his rivals also beefing up their games.
“I understand that in sport results come first and if you have to make a change, you have to do it”, Toni Nadal told Spanish radio station Cadena Cope on Wednesday.
The governing bodies for tennis rejected the claims, and highlighted the fact five players and an official had received life bans after investigations from the Tennis Integrity Unit which was set up in 2008.
Fernando Verdasco of Spain in action against Rafael Nadal of Spain during their first round match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 19 January 2016.
“I didn’t really think I would have another match five sets against Rafa here in Australia”.
“Cannot happen when I am hitting my forehand”.
“How do you hit the ball that hard every time?” “Was not my day, but let’s keep going, that the only thing I can do”. “I played a good match against a player who has got a lot, lot of potential”. “Game become a little bit more insane in this aspect”.
Elsewhere, retiring Australian veteran Lleyton Hewitt beat compatriot James Duckworth in his opening round match of his farewell Open. In the fourth I was not very bad, but he played better than me, too. I’m like, ‘you know I didn’t play again after that?
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The ATP and the other governing bodies for tennis have denied the allegations, and no players have been identified in the reports, but Murray said the authorities should have taken a more obvious lead in stamping it out.
