Nadal Draper Live

Rafael Nadal Survives Scare Against Jack Draper in Australian Open Opener

Once Again, Draper Tests Nadal Before Physical Issues Cost Him in a Four-Set Loss

Highlights:

- Nadal wins 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 1-1 before Draper retires with injury - Draper burst from the gates, pushing Nadal to the brink in the first set - Physical issues ultimately cost Draper, allowing Nadal to advance

MELBOURNE, Australia - Rafael Nadal survived a scare in his Australian Open opener against Jack Draper, winning 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 1-1 before the Briton retired with an injury.

Draper, ranked 40th in the world, burst from the gates, pushing Nadal to the brink in the first set. He broke Nadal's serve twice and held his own serve throughout the set to take it 7-5.

However, Nadal responded in the second set, breaking Draper's serve twice to level the match at 1-1. The third set was a tight affair, but Nadal was able to break Draper's serve in the ninth game and take the set 6-4.

In the fourth set, Draper was clearly struggling with a physical issue. He struggled to move around the court and was unable to challenge Nadal's powerful groundstrokes. Nadal quickly took a 1-0 lead in the fourth set before Draper retired with the injury.

Nadal said after the match that he was impressed with Draper's performance, despite the injury. "He's a great player," Nadal said. "He's going to be a top player in the world, no doubt about it. He has a great future ahead of him."

Nadal will next face Mackenzie McDonald in the second round of the Australian Open.