Top seed Rafa Nadal, right, speaks to 21-year-old Briton Jack Draper at the Australian Open after beating him 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 in their first-round match at the Australian Open ©Getty Images

Top seeds Rafael Nadal and Iga Świątek advanced from the opening day’s first-round matches at the Australian Open in Melbourne, although both had to work hard to do so.

Nadal, 36, the defending champion, beat Britain’s 40th-ranked Jack Draper 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, at the Rod Laver Arena.

The 21-year-old Briton suffered from cramp in the later stages of the match.

"I played one of the toughest possible opponents in the first round," the Spaniard said.

"He is young, he has power and has a great future ahead. 

"We will see him play for many years ahead."

Poland's top seed Iga Swiatek salutes her 6-4, 7-5 first-round win over Germany's Julie Niemeier at the Australian Open in Melbourne ©Getty Images
Poland's top seed Iga Swiatek salutes her 6-4, 7-5 first-round win over Germany's Julie Niemeier at the Australian Open in Melbourne ©Getty Images

Świątek, who missed the Adelaide tournament with a shoulder problem, was given a thorough work-out in her 6-4, 7-5 win over Julie Niemeier of Germany.

The Pole's second round opponent is due to be Colombia’s Camila Osorio, who beat Hungary's Panna Udvardy 6-4, 6-1. 

Britain's 20-year-old Emma Raducanu, who made her name in 2021 by becoming the first singles qualifier to win the US Open - and without losing a set - appears to have recovered from the injury to her left ankle she suffered in her second match of the year in Auckland 11 days ago.

Playing with the ankle taped, she completed a 6-3, 6-2 win over Germany's Tamara Korpatsch.

Raducanu is set for a tough match in the second as she is due to face the tournament's seventh seed, 18-year-old Coco Gauff of the United States, who progressed with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Kateřina Siniaková of the Czech Republic.

Britain had another success as Cameron Norrie beat France's Luca van Assche 7-6, 6-0, 6-3 in a men's tournament that earlier in the day saw the withdrawal through injury of Australia's Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios.

Cameron Norrie was among two British winners on the opening day of the Australian Open in Melbourne, along with Emma Radacanu in the women's event ©Getty Images
Cameron Norrie was among two British winners on the opening day of the Australian Open in Melbourne, along with Emma Radacanu in the women's event ©Getty Images

Women’s third seed Jessica Pegula of the United States, who beat Świątek in last month’s United Cup match, reached the second round with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Jacqueline Cristian of Romania.

Elsewhere in the draw, a stand-out tie saw two former Australian Open champions meet, as Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, playing as a neutral, took on Sofia Kenin of the United States.

Azarenka came through a competitive encounter 6-4, 7-6.