Nadal hilariously catches out napping journo
Rafael Nadal left an Australian Open media contingent in stitches and a dozing journalist red-faced after a hilarious press conference moment.
The Spaniard was speaking to reporters after his 6-4 6-3 7-5 first round win against local hope James Duckworth on Monday.
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However, the 17-time grand slam winner paused momentarily after spotting one of the journalists taking a nap in the room.
“It’s not interesting today,” Nadal said with a huge smile across his face.
Roars of laughter boomed across the room as one of the sleepy reporter’s colleagues woke up the unsuspecting offender.
“You were closing your eyes to be more focused on what I am saying,” Nadal said to the dozy reporter.
The Spaniard put his new serve to the test for the first time in a competitive match and was broken just twice in a dominant win against Duckworth.
The 17-time grand slam champion was happy with his opening win, having made 67 per cent of his first serves.
“My serve worked well. I don’t know my percentage, but there were a lot of good positions after the first serve. I felt solid with the second,” Nadal told a news confer
“And in general terms, I am happy about the victory of today against, as I said before, a very difficult opponent to play.”
Nadal looked in impressive form in his first competitive match since the US Open in September.
Asked about his fitness, he said: “It’s normal that beginnings are tough, but every day helps and every day makes me feel better, makes me feel more confident.
“So that’s an important victory because it’s the first victory in a while, and at the same time, because that gives me the chance to be on court again.
“And that’s what I need.”
Nadal faces a second round clash against the winner of Aussie Matthew Ebden’s match against Jan-Lennard Struff.
With agencies