Australian Open 2023: Defending champion Rafael Nadal’s racquet gets STOLEN by ball boy during first round win over Jack Draper, WATCH

Defending champions Rafael Nadal’s campaign at the Australian Open 2023 got off to a bizarre start in Melbourne on Monday (January 16). During his tough first round clash against Jack Draper of the US, one of Nadal’s racquets got stolen apparently by a ball boy at the Rod Laver Arena.

Nadal could not find his racquet during a first-round match against Jack Draper, who lost in tough four sets. Nadal complained about the disappearance of his racquet during his break, saying: “The ballboy took my racquet.”

Although Nadal immediately pulled another racquet from his bag, it was definitely a first for him to lose his racquet during a match. Nadal never truly seemed in danger of becoming the first Australian Open defending men’s champion to lose in the first round since his current coach, Carlos Moya, managed to beat Boris Becker a quarter of a century ago.

"The ballboy took my racquet" _

A definite first for Rafa!#AusOpen _ #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/T4xqN4ZLBd — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 16, 2023

Still, this was not a vintage performance by Nadal, who came into Monday’s matchup of left-handers against 21-year-old Jack Draper with an 0-2 record in 2023 and six losses in his past seven outings overall. After nearly two hours of so-so play, Nadal found himself even at a set apiece.

He appeared to be pulling away, taking advantage of his opponent’s bout with cramps on an afternoon with the temperature at about 85 degrees Fahrenheit (30 Celsius), when suddenly Draper went up by a break in the fourth set. From there, though, Nadal would not drop another game, beginning his pursuit of a record-extending 23rd Grand Slam championship with a 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory that took more than 3 1/2 hours in Rod Laver Arena.

Nadal was not in peak form. All in all, it was a bit of a struggle. He tried to put a silver-lining spin on things, nonetheless. “If we put in perspective all the situation that I went through the last six months,” the 36-year-old from Spain said, “I think it was a very positive start.”

Americans Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff and Danielle Collins, the 2022 runner-up at Melbourne Park, all reached the second round in the women’s bracket with victories earlier Monday. The biggest surprise of the day was the withdrawal of Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios, who needs surgery on his left knee.

(with PTI inputs)