Australian Open: Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams brave Melbourne heat

Spain's Rafael Nadal’s fitness looked to be back to its best during his Australian Open first-round match against Germany’s Florian Mayer on Sunday. He won in straight sets but heat forced him to change shirts a couple of times during the match. (AP)

Updated on: Jan 17, 2017 8:12 PM IST

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Spain's Rafael Nadal’s fitness looked to be back to its best during his Australian Open first-round match against Germany’s Florian Mayer on Sunday. He won in straight sets but heat forced him to change shirts a couple of times during the match. (AP)

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The water spraying fans, set up around the various courts at the Rod Laver arena was the favourite hangout joint for the Australian Open spectators trying to save themselves from the searing heat on Day 2. (Australian open/twitter)

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Rafael Nadal spent just a little over 2 hours in his 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win over Florian Mayer of Germany in the Australian Open. But, thanks to the soaring mercury, one has to say, he did sweat it out. (Getty Images)

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After the superstars of tennis, it was the water fountains that attracted most of the attention of the fans at the Australian Open in Melbourne Park. (AP)

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Coming from freezing-old Britain, Heather Watson overcame the heat as well as local fans to beat Australia’s Samantha Stosur 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 in the Australian Open first round. (AFP)

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Hair-raising tennis may not have been the order of the day in the first-round matches at the Australian Open on Tuesday. But fans found some moments of their own at the water spraying fan. (AP)

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Perhaps the only time Serena Williams was stretched during her first round outing against Belinda Bencic of Switzerland at the Australian Open. The American won in straight sets. (Getty Images)

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Fans catching some hot Australian Open tennis action under the umbrella. (AFP/Getty Images)

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Change (of shirts) was the order of the day in the first round match between Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff and Austria's Dominic Thiem at the Australian Open . (AP)

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Britain's Heather Watson slips on the sweaty wet court during her first round match against Australia's Samantha Stosur. Watson won in three sets. (REUTERS)

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Fans get some tan as well as tennis action on one of the outside courts at the Australian Open. (AP)

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Some found time to dance as well, in front of the “cooling fan”, at the Australian Open. (AP)

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One would imagine the local players to cope better with the heat. But no. Jordan Thompson of Australia had to use an ice pack to cool things down during his first round match against Joao Sousa of Portugal at the Australian Open. (Getty Images)