AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Top Seed Nadal Eases Through to Second Round

World number one Rafael Nadal powered into the Australian Open second round with a routine win over the Dominican Republic’s Victor Estrella Burgos.

The Spaniard, playing his first tournament match since suffering a knee injury in November, won 6-1 6-1 6-1 in 94 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.

Nadal, who is aiming for a 17th Grand Slam title and a second in Australia, said his knee was “feeling good”.

“If I did not feel ready I would not be here. I’m happy to be back,” he said.

“I always have doubts, but at the same time I have confidence that I was ready to start the tournament and that was the case.”

The injury forced Nadal to miss this month’s Brisbane International, and he only had a one-match workout at the exhibition Kooyong Classic before heading into the first Grand Slam event of the year.

But the Spaniard, who was beaten by Roger Federer in last year’s final, got off to a perfect start and raced to victory over the 37-year-old.

The world number one will play Leonardo Mayer of Argentina next.

This is the 52nd Grand Slam of Nadal’s career but the first without his long-time coach and uncle Toni Nadal in his box.

Toni announced last season that he would cease to travel with his nephew at the end of 2017 to focus on the family’s academy in Majorca.

Fifth seed Venus Williams, 10th seed Coco Vandeweghe and US Open champion Sloane Stephens were all knocked out of the women’s event. Williams- a finalist in Melbourne last year - lost 6-3 7-5 to world number 78 Belinda Bencic.