"Ballboy took my racquet": Rafael Nadal's racquet goes missing at Australian Open before his first 2023 win

It was a bizarre Australian Open beginning for defending champion Rafael Nadal who found his favorite racquet missing as he played his first match of the tournament. Nadal claimed the ballboy had taken it before pulling another one out. He won the match though not as convincingly as he would have wanted.

In a bizarre incident in Australian Open 2023 on Monday, defending champion Rafael Nadal, during his opening match of the tournament, complained that his racquet was missing and the 'ball boy had taken it'.

Nadal claiming that his favourite racquet was nicked at the Rod Laver Arena soon made international headlines as the match had to be briefly delayed. During his first-round match against Jack Draper, Nadal complained about the disappearance of his racquet saying: "The ballboy took my racquet."

A video shared by Australian Open on Twitter showed Nadal impatiently looking for his racquet. He is heard saying "I need my racquet back..." "Goodness me that is a big mistake," the commentator is heard saying.

Nadal then went on to explain the delay to his opponent before pulling out another racquet and resuming the game. The moment was enough of a dramatic start to the tournament.

Watch the video here:

• "The ballboy took my racquet" 😂
  
  A definite first for Rafa!#AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/T4xqN4ZLBd

  — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 16, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  "The ballboy took my racquet" 😂
  
  A definite first for Rafa!#AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/T4xqN4ZLBd

  — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 16, 2023

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  "The ballboy took my racquet" 😂
  
  A definite first for Rafa!#AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/T4xqN4ZLBd

  — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 16, 2023

Amid the drama, Nadal started the defense of his Australian Open title with a bit of a struggle along the way to a four-set victory over a cramping Draper. Nadal was not in peak form but did manage to beat Draper 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 in a match that took more than 3 1/2 hours in Rod Laver Arena on Monday. It was the first match win for Nadal in 2023.

He had lost six of his preceding seven contests dating to the end of last season. Americans Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff and Danielle Collins, the 2022 runner-up at Melbourne Park, all reached the second round in the women's bracket with victories earlier Monday. The biggest surprise of the day was the withdrawal of Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios, who needs surgery on his left knee.