• Australian Open

Nadal rejects illness fears after shock Melbourne exit

Rafael Nadal crashed out in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open after suffering a straight-sets defeat to Tomas Berdych.

It was the Czech's first win over the Spaniard in 18 matches dating back to 2007, with Berdych triumphing 6-2 6-0 7-6(5) win, handing Nadal his first 'bagel' since 2006 at Wimbledon and only the third at a grand slam in his career.

Television cameras also showed Nadal taking a pill early on in the third set, but he insisted he was not suffering form any illness.

Tomas Berdych is into his third slam semi-final © Getty Images

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"Yeah, happened nothing. I am feeling well," said Nadal. "That's it. That's part of the things that happen sometimes during the matches, but nothing important to say."

He added: "I am feeling okay. Just was not my day. I didn't play with the right intensity, with the right rhythm, and the opponent played better than me."

Nadal hadn't lost a 6-0 set at any tournament since 2011. He failed to convert any of his four break-point chances.

"Is obvious that I needed something more to be more competitive, as I did in the third," he added. "The third was the right set, the right game that I have to play. But is obvious that before I didn't play with the right confidence, with the right intensity, losing court, playing very short. I make him play very easy. So you cannot expect to win matches in quarter-finals of grand slam helping the opponent to play well.

"As I said when I arrived here, the process always is not easy. When you have injuries, are difficult the comebacks. There are so many examples around the world of sport that have been tough to be back. For me, I'm not an exception on that, no?

"I have to take the positive things. Without being at my top level of tennis I was able to be here in quarter-finals. Is not a bad result at all for me arriving here the way I arrived: only with one match, only with five matches in seven months."

Murray sees off 'cooked' Kyrgios

Murray beat Kyrgios in three © Getty Images

• Midway through the third set, Nick Kyrgios looked over at his coach and said: "I'm cooked." The onslaught from Andy Murray on the other side of the court was too much for the teenage Australian as Murray threw his young opponent all over Melbourne in a 6-3 7-6(5) 6-3 win.
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Nadal, a 14-time grand slam singles champion, said before the tournament began that his lack of match fitness due to injuries and illness in the last half of 2014 made him unlikely to win more than a few rounds at Melbourne Park.

Coming into the Australian Open, Nadal had played only eight matches since last June because of a right wrist injury and appendix surgery in November.

He also battled through cramp to secure a five-set win over Tim Smyczek in the second round last week.

Berdych showed little emotion throughout the match, maintaining a familiar focus. He said he planned to continue to play in that style.

"If this keeps me going through, I'm going to keep doing the same," Berdych said.

He added: "I was ready for everything and I think that was the difference. I started pretty well, but when you're playing Rafa you have to keep going to the last point."

Nadal saved two match points in the 12th game of the final set, sending it to a tiebreaker. Berdych led 5-2 and finally ended the match on his fourth match point when Nadal netted a return of serve.

Berdych will next meet Andy Murray, who saw off Nick Kyrgios. Berdych currently leads Murray 6-4 in the head-to-head.

Rafael Nadal was nowhere near his best © Getty Images

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