Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates after defeating Mikhail Youzhny of Russia in their men's singles first round match at the Australian Open 2015 tennis tournament in Melbourne January 19, 2015. REUTERS/Issei Kato
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Rafa Nadal was all about big statements on Monday's opening day of the Australian Open as he emerged onto Rod Laver Arena in a hot pink shirt and trounced Russian veteran Mikhail Youzhny 6-3 6-2 6-2 to gain a welcome dose of confidence.
Undercooked and on the comeback trail after a long lay-off due to injury and illness, the third-seeded Spaniard needed only a handful of games at Rod Laver Arena before clicking into grand slam gear.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Win a prize this Mother's Day by subscribing to our annual plan now! T&C applies.
Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
