<p>Rafael Nadal's victory march in the first round of the Australian Open was briefly held up on Monday when a ball boy took his racquet.</p>.<p>The bizarre incident happened between games in the first set, with the Spanish great leading 4-3 against Britain's Jack Draper at Rod Laver Arena.</p>.<p>"I need the racquet back," the 36-year-old defending champion, looking bewildered, told the chair umpire.</p>.<p>It was not immediately clear what happened, but it seems that Nadal asked for his racquet to be restrung, only for the ball boy to take the wrong one.</p>.<p>"The ball boy took my racquet!" a smiling Nadal shouted to Draper, explaining what the hold-up was.</p>.<p>It did not overly affect the 22-time Grand Slam champion as he went on to win the match, despite a second-set wobble, 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1.</p>.<p>"Not distracting, just a funny situation," Nadal told <em>Eurosport </em>later.</p>.<p>"I said 'I need the stringer', but I needed the stringer to look at the other racquets."</p>.<p>"So he picked up my racquet I was ready to play (with). But okay, he took it and no problem at all."</p>.<p>Nadal next plays the American Mackenzie McDonald at Melbourne Park.</p>
<p>Rafael Nadal's victory march in the first round of the Australian Open was briefly held up on Monday when a ball boy took his racquet.</p>.<p>The bizarre incident happened between games in the first set, with the Spanish great leading 4-3 against Britain's Jack Draper at Rod Laver Arena.</p>.<p>"I need the racquet back," the 36-year-old defending champion, looking bewildered, told the chair umpire.</p>.<p>It was not immediately clear what happened, but it seems that Nadal asked for his racquet to be restrung, only for the ball boy to take the wrong one.</p>.<p>"The ball boy took my racquet!" a smiling Nadal shouted to Draper, explaining what the hold-up was.</p>.<p>It did not overly affect the 22-time Grand Slam champion as he went on to win the match, despite a second-set wobble, 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1.</p>.<p>"Not distracting, just a funny situation," Nadal told <em>Eurosport </em>later.</p>.<p>"I said 'I need the stringer', but I needed the stringer to look at the other racquets."</p>.<p>"So he picked up my racquet I was ready to play (with). But okay, he took it and no problem at all."</p>.<p>Nadal next plays the American Mackenzie McDonald at Melbourne Park.</p>