Australian Open: Nadal passes Draper test

Rafa takes Briton in his stride; injured Djokovic hits practice court
Jack Draper stands at a strapping 6 ft 4 inches in his tennis shoes but walking out on to a packed Rod Laver Arena he appeared almost microscopic.
Rafael Nadal followed the Briton onto the middle, at once dwarfing the storied facility.
Maybe it was the roar that accompanied the Spaniard's entry, or the little dance he did, shuffling from side to side, as he shrugged off his jacket and pulled out his racket.Maybe it was the five hours and 24 minutes he was on court 12 months ago, struggling, straying, straining but never giving in to clinch a historic second Australian Open title.
Maybe its stature crowned by that indefatigable spirit but suffice to say that at almost 37 years of age, Nadal towers over it all. Brick and mortar included.
Nadal, who had lost both matches he had played this year, in the United Cup, and taking it further back to November, he had just one victory in six hard court matches, was playing himself back into form as much as he was taking on the 21-year-old from Sutton in the battle of left-handers.
The veteran warrior came through 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 against the debutant in three hours and 41 minutes.
When Draper reflects on this first round match, he'll understand that it was a lesson in every sense of the word. Nadal used the lines, varied length, angles and spin, he drilled on one flank and passed on the other. An ageing magician with a bottomless bag of tricks.
Late in the opening set, when the two were going toe to toe, Draper brought Nadal into the net and attempted to pass the top seed on his backhand side, but Nadal was all over the net, knocking back a volley winner and then turning to the crowd.
Draper, who was struggling with cramps, was attended to by trainers at the change of ends, but he did well to comeback, breaking the defending champion in the opening game of the fourth set. Nadal responded by running away with the next six games. "I needed a victory, that's the main thing. Doesn't matter the way (I won), the most important thing today is a victory against a tough opponent. To win against Jack, one of the toughest first rounds possible being seeded," Nadal underlined the performance against the world no 38.
"To win against Jack I need to do things well, no? I think I did things well. So, satisfied with the victory because that gives me the chance to play again."
Next up for the 22-time Grand Slam champion is American Mackenzie McDonald.
Meanwhile, about the time Nadal was walking off the court, news that Novak Djokovic, who is scheduled to play late on Tuesday, had called off his practice session echoed across the grounds. The Serb, a nine-time champion here, is struggling with a hamstring injury, and has been given maximum time to recover. Later in the evening, Djokovic, with a heavily strapped left leg, hit the practice court.