MELBOURNE, Australia — Rafael Nadal didn’t give the impression he was lacking any confidence as he raced through the first round of the Australian Open with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 win today over Russian veteran Mikhail Youzhny.

Coming back from a right wrist injury and an appendix operation that sidelined him for most of last season after Wimbledon, and coming off a rare first-round loss in a tune-up event in Doha, the 14-time major winner said he had concerns about his fitness for the opening Grand Slam tournament of the year.

He didn’t show it, hitting 37 winners, breaking Youzhny twice in each set, holding his own serve comfortably and fending off the only break-point chance he faced.

“Last year, second half of the year had been tough mentally, tough physically for me,” he said. “I played four matches in the last seven months — that’s not enough to be back with confidence.”

The loss to Michael Berrer in Doha on Jan. 5 was another deflating result.

“When that happens after a tough period of injuries you arrive here with doubts,” he said. “This first match was tough mentally for me — (I) hope this match will give me confidence to play well next round.”

Nadal hasn’t won the Australian Open since 2009, but has reached the final in his last two trips to Melbourne Park, losing to Novak Djokovic in a 5-hour, 53-minute epic in 2012 and to Stan Wawrinka last year.

No. 2-ranked Roger Federer, who won the last of his four Australian titles in 2010, got a good workout in the first night match on Rod Laver Arena before beating Lu Yen-hsun of Taiwan 6-4, 6-2, 7-5.

Three-time Australian Open finalist Andy Murray began his quest for an elusive Australian title with a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (3) win over Indian qualifier Yuki Bhambri.

Second-ranked Maria Sharapova followed up her recent title in a warm-up tournament with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Petra Martic in the last match of the day in the women’s draw which is already missing eight seeded players.

“I had a great start in Brisbane winning the title for the first time in my career — that was great to have those matches coming into such a big match in Melbourne,” she said.