Fernando Verdasco rallied from a 2-1 deficit and recovered a break in the fifth set to claim a 7-6 (6), 4-6, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2 win in 4 hours and 41 minutes on Tuesday, only his third victory in 17 matches against his fellow Spanish lefthander.
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In a hard-hitting encounter that lasted over four hours and 40 minutes, Fernando Verdasco came roaring back into the game after losing two sets to Nadal, striking an incredible 90 winners in the process.
Nadal had led Verdasco 13-0 in their head-to-head including a thrilling 5-set win on Rod Laver in the 2009 Australian Open semifinals.
Rafael Nadal and Simona Halep have suffered surprise first round losses at the Australian Open in Melbourne.
Verdasco forced 54 errors from Nadal, 37 among them from his forehand. Overcoming an early break in the fifth, he won six straight games and avenged a memorable five-set loss to his countryman in the 2009 Australian Open semifinals. “I think I played unbelievable – the fifth set from the break that he made me, I just started hitting winners”. He shed light on the fact that many of his opponents were playing “crazy” go-for-broke tennis and trying to hit winners from any position.
Men’s No. 2 seed Andy Murray cruised to victory over Alexander Zverev, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 and players like Garbine Muguruza, Stan Wawrinka, Bernard Tomic, Milos Raonic, John Isner, Angelique Kerber and David Ferrer were all victorious.
‘To win against Rafa here in five sets after coming back from two sets down is an unbelievable feeling.
Lleyton Hewitt of Australia reacts during his first round match against James Duckworth of Australia at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 19 January 2016.
“He played better than me”. Williams was playing great tennis for most of a year ago, though obviously her sister, Serena Williams, dominates most of the discussion.
It’s tough, but at the same time, I know I did everything that I can to be ready for it, Nadal said. “So happy. Today is the best moment of my career”.
Despite being a US Open and Wimbledon quarter-finalist, the semi-final defeat to Nadal has continued to haunt the former world number seven. Some incredible hitting from Verdasco there just blew Nadal away. You know, it’s tough when you work so much and arrive at a very important event and you’re going out too early. “I was closing my eyes and everything was coming in”.
An encore took place on Tuesday night, this time during first-round action.
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The 24-year-old Romanian was beaten 6-4 6-3 by Chinese qualifier Zhang Shuai, ranked 133rd in the world, and left the court in tears. There are no balls that you can prepare the point. “In terms of creating damage to the opponent with my forehand, I didn’t”, Nadal said.
