Few first-time tour experiences pique a 14-time grand slam champion’s interest after some 15 years jetsetting the globe.
Not even a dose of jetlag in humidity after a 14-hour journey from the Middle East would have been enough, though, to wipe the smile off Rafael Nadal’s dial on Monday.
After ticking off koala-clutching from his bucket list, the Spaniard turns his focus to making his Brisbane International debut, where he will attempt to join the likes of fellow slam winners Federer, Murray and Hewitt on the honour roll.
The 30-year-old admits the novelty of playing at a new stop on tour held appeal and believed he could become a grand slam force again provided he stayed fit.
“The only thing I can say is if I am healthy, I believe that I can do it,” he said. “If not, I will be at home fishing.”
The fifth seed fired an early warning in his first event back since a wrist injury truncated his season in October when he won the Abu Dhabi exhibition on the eve of his Brisbane arrival.
He has added ex-world No.1 Carlos Moya to his coaching ranks and admits he is playing pain-free after a stop-start 2016, in which he missed both the French Open and Wimbledon to a wrist injury.
Flat-hitting Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov is his first-round opponent and the former world No.13, a runner-up in Brisbane five years ago, is a tricky hurdle.
Nadal leads the pair’s head-to-head ledger 5-2 but Dolgopolov claimed their two most recent encounters – at Indian wells in 2014 and Queen’s Club in 2015.
In a Spanish double-header for Tuesday night, fourth seed Garbine Muguruza will return to Pat Rafter Arena to face rising Russian Daria Kasatkina in the second round. The 23-year-old ground out a 7-5 6-7(2) 7-5 victory over home hope and fellow slam champion Sam Stosur on Monday and will draw confidence from having beaten the 26th-ranked Kasatkina in their only prior match.
Opening the day’s play on PRA will be women’s third seed Karolina Pliskova. The Czech, who defeated Serena Williams on her way to the US Open final last season, was comprehensive in her season opener against Yulia Putintseva and will face American qualifier Asia Muhammad.
Pliskova finished the year at a career-high No.6 in the rankings and helped guide the Czechs to their third straight Fed Cup title.
One man’s misfortune proved a stroke of good luck when hometown favourite John Millman surrendered his wildcard. Big-serving Australian Sam Groth was the benefactor of the late call-up. A two-time quarterfinalist in Brisbane, Groth endured a frustrating injury-interrupted 2016 and will look to resurrect his ranking as he takes on Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert. Groth won their only previous meeting, in Brisbane three years ago.
A pair of Frenchmen will close out the day session with sixth seed Lucas Pouille looking to overcome a 10-year age gap to find a way past crafty former world No.6 Gilles Simon for the first time in three meetings.
The 22-year-old Pouille defeated Bernard Tomic and Juan Martin del Potro en route to his maiden grand slam quarterfinal at Wimbledon last season and repeated the last-eight showing at the US Open, after a five-set win over Nadal.