Australian Open 2015: Rafael Nadal breezes past Mikhail Youzhny as Roger Federer eases through earlier today

The No 3 seeded Spaniard, who said last week he does not expect to be a contender at the first Grand Slam championship of the year, needed just one hour and 49 minutes to dispatch the streetwise Russian 6-3 6-2 6-2.

Nadal, champion at Flinders Park in 2009, broke serve twice in each set and was rarely troubled by the 32-year-old world No 49.

While, Roger Federer eased into the second round of the Australian Open with a 6-4 6-2 7-5 win over Yen-Hsun Lu on a Monday after Nadal's early game.

The 33-year-old completed the 1,001st win of his career in one hour and 53 minutes on Rod Laver Arena as he chases his 18th Grand Slam title and first in Melbourne since 2010.

He will now face Simone Bolelli in the last 64 following the Italian's four-set win over Argentina's Juan Monaco.