Nadal, Halep bow out

The more familiar shock of falling seeds added to the ructions caused by allegations of tennis corruption as former champion Rafa Nadal and highly fancied Simona Halep both departed in the first round of the Australian Open on Tuesday.

Nadal arrived at Melbourne Park with high hopes of arresting his recent grand slam decline only to depart, his optimism crushed, under a barrage of winners from fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco.

Shortly after a dejected Nadal walked off court having tasted his first opening round loss at the Australian Open, women’s second seed Halep bid farewell while another high- profile casualty was seven-time major champion Venus Williams.

Andy Murray, the men’s second seed, and 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka both impressed as the oncourt action took center stage after the allegations of matchfixing in the sport overshadowed Monday’s hostilities .

Nadal appeared confused at how he had managed to blow a 2-0 lead in the final set to go down, 7-6(6), 4-6, 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-2, to Verdasco in a four hour 41 minute battle that had echoes of their marathon 2009 semi-final but with a reversed result.

The fifth seed, who failed to win a grand slam title last year for the first time in a decade, lost the last six games as world number 45 Verdasco unleashed a series of explosive forehands to take his place in the second round.

“He was playing amazing in the last set. If you decide everything in one set, the opponent is ready to hit all the balls at hundred percent, then you are in trouble,” the 2009 champion told reporters.

“The real thing is I was not enough aggressive with my forehand during the whole match. I didn’t feel it. I tried. I fought. I was ready to do it, and I didn’t. I am sad for that.”

Halep gave similar reasons for her 6-4, 6-3 defeat at the hands of Chinese qualifier Zhang Shuai, who was ranked 131 places below the Romanian in the rankings going into their contest over on Margaret Court Arena.

“I think it wasn’t my good day but I give her a lot of credit as she played without fear and hit every ball,” Halep, who has been struggling with an Achilles injury, told reporters.