Rafael Nadal v Jack Draper Betting Tips [16 January 2023]

Defending Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal takes on Britain's Jack Draper in the first round. Nadal is the top seed for the first Grand Slam of the year following the withdrawal of world number one Carlos Alcaraz. Nadal (world ranked two) hasn't been getting good results in his last two tournaments. In five matches played in the 2022 ATP Tour Finals and the 2023 United Cup, he's lost four out of five matches. As Nadal says though, his losses to Cameron Norrie and Alex de Minaur in this month's United Cup didn't see him playing that badly and noth went to the final set. Nadal has a great record in Grand Slams of course, having won more than any other male tennis player. However, he's also only lost twice in the first round of a Grand Slam twice in 20 years. One of those was in Australia when losing to fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco seven years ago.

Jack Draper is ranked 40th at the time of writing this preview. He was outside the top 200 at the start of last year and is now within touching distance of being a seeded player at a future Grand Slam. He does lack experience in Grand Slam events and this is his first time in the main draw of the Australian Open. He's only played three other Grand Slams and his best performance has been reaching the third round of the US Open last year. He had a decent chance of making the fourth round but had to withdraw from his match against Karen Khachanov. This year has seen him play both of the Adelaide tournaments and again he's been facing Khachanov, losing the first match and winning the second. He lost to eventual winner Kwon Soonwoo in the second Adelaide tournament. He'll have to play better to have a chance against Nadal and of course, this is a five-set match and it's one that Nadal can win.