Unseeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco has upset former world No.1 Rafael Nadal in another five-set thriller to progress to the second round of the Australian Open.

The last meeting between the pair at Melbourne Park was back in 2009 when they battled it out for more than five hours in a semi-final won by Nadal, but Verdasco turned the tables on Tuesday to advance 7-6 (8-6) 4-6 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-2.

Verdasco set up a second-round encounter with Israeli Dudi Sela, ranked 87th in the world.