A rampaging Rafael Nadal roared through the first round of the Australian Open on Tuesday when Brazil's Marcos Daniel retired with the world number one on a tear at 6-0, 5-0.
The swashbuckling Spaniard, bidding to become only the third man, and the first since 1969, to hold all four Grand Slam titles at once, surrendered just four points in a first-set 'bagel' lasting 19 minutes at Melbourne Park.
A shell-shocked Daniel immediately called for the trainer to tape up his left knee -- and get a much-needed breather -- and bravely hobbled on until throwing in the towel at 0-5 barely able to walk.
Nadal will join Don Budge (1938) and Rod Laver (1962 and 1969) as the only men to hold all four major crowns at the same time if he wins his second Australian Open.
Melbourne champion in 2009, Nadal mercilessly forced Daniel to scramble from side to side once it became clear his 32-year-old opponent was struggling with his lateral movement.
So embarrassingly lop-sided had the match become that one wag in the crowd broke the silence by shouting "Hang in there, Rafa!" to the amusement of a packed Rod Laver Arena.
Daniel said after the match he suspected cartilage damage on the inside of his left knee.
"It was a disaster," he said before limping off for an MRI examination. "I felt pain two days ago and didn't practice but I felt it again at the start of the match.
"If you are not 100 percent against the top guys it's impossible. I was a bit embarrassed and I wanted to fight but he was just putting the ball left and right and I had no chance.
"I felt like I was 75-years-old."
