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Spain’s Rafael Nadal (pictured) defeated England’s Jack Draper in their first-round match at the 2023 Australian Open on Monday in Melbourne. Photo: Joel Carrett/EPA-EFE
Jan. 16 (UPI) — The 2023 Australian Open ball boy accidentally took the wrong racket from Rafael Nadal during a break in his first-round match in Melbourne on Monday, leading to a strange scene and a slight delay in the Grand Slam tournament.
The incident happened in the first round, when Nadal beat England’s Jack Draper 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 at Rod Laver Arena. Nadal was leading the set 4-3 when he went to his bench area for a break. He went through his equipment before conferring with the chair umpire.
Nadal explained that the ball boy took the wrong racket to the racket ball on the spot.
“This was for the player, not for her,” defending Australian Open men’s singles champion Nadal told the judge. “I need the club back!
“This isn’t it. I need a damper and everything. The ball boy took my bat!”
Nadal then yelled at Draper, “The ball boy took my racket!”
ESPN’s broadcast crew joked that Nadal’s racket might never be “seen again” and that it might be “on the streets of Melbourne somewhere”.
Nadal, the men’s top seed, broke Draper’s serve en route to a 7-5 first-set win. The 22-time Grand Slam singles champion fired six aces for a total of 41 winners and 46 unforced errors in three hours and 41 minutes of math. Draper had a total of 13 aces, 35 winners and 46 unforced errors.
Nadal will face the American Mackenzie McDonald in his second round match. McDonald beat American Brandon Nakashima in five sets to reach the second round.
The Australian Open will be broadcast until January 28 on ESPN platforms.
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