Rafael Nadal can't find his favourite racquet in bizarre moment at Australian Open - 'I need the racquet back'
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Updated 16/01/2023 at 07:46 GMT
Reigning Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal found himself wildly gesticulating and pleading with the umpire for his favourite racquet to be returned during his opening match against Jack Draper. For some reason, a ball kid took the wrong racquet to the stringer, leaving the Spaniard without the one he wanted to use during the match. It led to some amusing scenes on Rod Laver Arena.
Watch bizarre moment Nadal can't find his favourite racquet during match
There was a comical and almost farcical moment during Rafael Nadal's opening match against Britain's Jack Draper at the Australian Open on Monday.
The top seed and defending champion was left without the racquet he wanted to use against the Brit due to a ball kid seemingly taking the wrong one to the stringer to be repaired. It all amounted to some entertaining exchanges on Rod Laver Arena as he attempted to get it back.
After realising that he had been left without the right racquet at the changeover with the score 4-3 in his favour in the opening set, Nadal was left amused but also pretty flustered.
"It's this one for the stringer, not that one," he attempted to explain to the bewildered umpire.
"I need the racquet back! It is this not one. I need the dampener and everything. The ball boy took my racquet!"
Eurosport commentator Guy McCrea was as baffled as Nadal by what was going on.
"I'm not sure what is going on here. Something is missing," he noted at the time.
"They have taken the wrong racquet to the stringer - the wrong one has been taken to the stringer, the one he was playing with.
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"He plays with a vibration dampener and that has been taken with the current racquet he was playing with. I don't think he has a spare one, so I think there is going to be a delay here!
"Let's see if he can fish out another dampener here. He must have a spare one, surely! I think he is just getting one out of the packet there, and we are good to go here because he was a spare one!"
It was the biggest alarm bell for Nadal in the opening stages as he took the first set 7-5 with a crucial break of serve against the Brit to begin his 2023 campaign in impressive fashion.
Nadal later won through to the second round with a 7-5 2-6 6-4 6-1 victory.
The defending champion was made to work had for the win in the early exchanges, but as the Brit appeared to be overcome by injury, Nadal was able to get through without too much difficulty in the end.
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