Nalbandian left fuming at umpire’s decision to intervene

After an epic struggle reached 8-8 in the deciding set and with Nalbandian on break point, Nouni overruled a linesperson who had called out an Isner ace.

Not only did television replays show Nouni had made a mistake – the ball was indeed wide – he then compounded the error by refusing Nalbandian the right to challenge via Hawk-Eye due to the time taken by the Argentinian to make the decision amid the confusion.

Isner duly held and then broke a clearly livid Nalbandian in the next game to complete a 4-6 6-3 2-6 7-6 (7/5) 10-8 victory.

“I asked for Hawk-Eye as he made an overrule. I say ‘okay, I see the mark, I challenge’, not a big deal, but he didn’t want to do it,” said Nalbandian.

“How many times do we check the mark and ask for Hawk-Eye?

“So somebody from the umpires or ATP can explain this situation. I mean, what is this? This is a grand slam.

“I haven’t seen the video but I don’t think it was too late to call. John said, ‘yeah, ask’. It’s ridiculous playing this kind of tournament with this kind of umpire.

“Eight-all, break point. Can you be that stupid to do that in that moment?

“What does the umpire need, press, the name, his picture (in the paper) tomorrow? Incredible.”

Asked whether he felt Nouni was incapable of taking charge of this kind of match, Nalbandian said: “Absolutely. No doubt.”

Nalbandian ruled out making an official protest, though, believing the evidence was already out there.

“If they really want to do something, I don’t need to do anything, because it’s on the TV, on the video,” he added.

“But every time we talk to the ATP, it’s like nothing, so what is the ATP for, the players or for somebody else?”

Isner, who plays Feliciano Lopez in round three, said: “I didn’t know what was going on as I was towelling off. I guess I was just a little luckier out there.”

It may not have been as straightforward as Roger Federer’s passage into the third round but Rafael Nadal was pleased to have avoided any major drama in progressing.

Federer received a walkover when German opponent Andreas Beck was forced out of their second-round encounter due to a lower back problem.

The news broke at the same time Nadal was slugging it out on Rod Laver Arena against German veteran Tommy Haas.

But the Spanish second seed, who won 6-4 6-3 6-4, revealed he was quite happy to have played, and performed well, against a tricky opponent.

Asked if he too would have preferred a bye, he said: “Before the day started yes but now I played and won I am happy.”

Reflecting on a good workout, he added: “I don’t know if it was the perfect match but I won in three sets.

“It was positive but not that demanding (physically). We didn’t play for four or five hours.”

As for the knee he injured when sitting on a chair on Sunday, Nadal insisted the heavy strapping was merely precautionary.

“It is much better and I am so happy the knee is improving and I am able to play without pain,” he said.

Federer was also an injury concern coming into the event after hurting his back during the Qatar Open but it was not tested further.

Mardy Fish became the highest seed to exit the tournament when he lost to Alejandro Falla.

World No 8 Fish turned in a mistake-laden performance, making 58 unforced errors, to hand the Colombian a 7-6 (7/4) 6-3 7-6 (8/6) victory in exactly three hours.

“I didn’t play great and he played well,” said Fish, who was irritated at Falla’s repeated call for the trainer at the changeovers. “For someone who is in the latter stages of his career and prides himself on his fitness, I don’t enjoy that at all.”

Seventh seed Tomas Berdych eased past Belgian Olivier Rochus 6-1 6-0 7-6 (7/4), 11th seed Juan Martin Del Potro beat Blaz Kavcic 6-4 7-5 6-3 and left-handed Spaniard Feliciano Lopez overcame Flavio Cipolla 7-5 7-6 (7/4) 6-2.

Bernard Tomic kept Australian hopes alive with a four-set defeat of American Sam Querrey.

Querrey started well but was unable to maintain the pressure on 19-year-old Tomic, who hit back to win 3-6 6-3 7-6 (7/3) 6-3. He will meet13th seed Alexandr Dolgopolov, a 4-6 6-1 6-1 3-6 8-6 winner over German Tobias Kamke.

Tenth seed Nicolas Almagro also required five sets to see off Grigor Dimitrov 4-6 6-3 6-7 (7/4) 6-4 6-0.

Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins advanced into the second round of the men’s doubles at the Australian Open with a hard-fought victory over Americans Ryan Harrison and Ryan Sweeting.

After Monday’s disappointment when five Britons went out of the singles, leaving Andy Murray, who beat Harrison, as the only British representative in the main draws, it was left to doubles specialists Fleming and Hutchins to restore a little bit of pride.

They edged the first set and then clinched the second on a tie-break to move through 7-5 7-6 (7/2).

Jamie Delgado and Sheffield’s Jonathan Marray suffered first-round disappointment, however, losing 6-4 6-4 to Polish pair Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski.

In the women’s doubles, Laura Robson suffered further disappointment, though, as she and Australian prodigy Ashleigh Barty lost to the more experienced pairing of Dominika Cibulkova and Jill Craybas.

Robson, thrashed in the singles on the opening day by 13th seed Jelena Jankovic, and 15-year-old Barty fought hard but could not prevent a 3-6 6-2 6-3 defeat.