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1/16/12 3:27 PM | Ricky Dimon
Rafael Nadal begins his fortnight in Melbourne with a straight-set win over qualifier Alex Kuznetsov on Monday. Nadal is joined in the second round by John Isner, a routine winner over Benjamin Mitchell.
(2) Rafael Nadal d. (Q) Alex Kuznetsov 6-4, 6-1, 6-1
Nadal lost just six games in his 2012 Australian Open on Monday evening as he trounced Kuznetsov in one hour and 46 minutes. Kuznetsov, who successfully qualified for a Grand Slam for the first time in his career, came out swinging and actually hit more winners and fewer unforced errors than Nadal in the opening set. However, the 24-year-old American dropped serve to begin the match and that proved to be the lone difference in the first frame of play.
From there Nadal picked up the pace as Kuznetsov's level dipped. The second-ranked Spaniard broke in his first return game of each set, so he was always playing from ahead. Nadal had struck 11 more unforced errors than winners in the first, but he had 17 more winners than errors over the course of the second and third. The 2009 Australian Open champion finished off the proceedings with his ninth ace and he will now go up against veteran Tommy Haas.
(16) John Isner d. (WC) Benjamin Mitchell 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(1)
Isner blasted 19 aces and won 86 percent of his first-serve points to subdue Mitchell's upset bid after two hours and three minutes on Monday in Melbourne. The 6'9'' American lost serve only once as he saved five of the six break points he faced. With his power game working, Isner took control early with a break in the third game of the match and dropped only eight points in his first five service games, never facing a break point in the opening set.
Mitchell, though, accounted himself well throughout the entire course of the match. The Australian wild card went up by a break at 3-2 in the second only to donate serve twice in a row and see his opponent string off four consecutive games for the set. Both players saved their best and most aggressive tennis for the third, in which no break points led to a tiebreaker. That's when Isner resumed command and he stormed through it seven points to one. Next up for the world No. 17 is David Nalbandian.
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