Melbourne (AFP)
Sixth seed Rafael Nadal started his Australian Open campaign, the first Grand Slam in tennis, with an easy victory over American Marcos Giron 6-1, 6-4, 6-2.
The 35-year-old Spaniard needed an hour and 49 minutes to settle his ticket to the second round in this tournament, which lost the Serbian champion Novak Djokovic, the world number one, after he was deported Sunday from Melbourne, against the background of not receiving the anti-Coronavirus vaccine and his wrong behavior in the process of his entry to Australia before canceling the cancellation. His visa is in two installments.
Nadal was satisfied with his performance in his first game at Melbourne Park, saying: “I am improving, it is difficult to say where I have become compared to my best level, I have to deal with it every single day, and accept that things are not good all the time, while maintaining my positivity for Good card playing.
Thirteen years have passed since the “Matador” won its only title in Melbourne in 2009, despite having subsequently reached the final four times.
The Spaniard prepared in the best possible way by winning the Melbourne Championship, in his first participation in an official tournament since early August, before he was away from competitions for nearly five months due to injury.
The Roland Garros hero returned 13 times and participated in an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi last December, after which he was infected with the Corona virus upon his return to his country, before recovering and heading to Melbourne.
Nadal hopes to take full advantage of the absence of Djokovic from the tournament, which won the Serbian title nine times, in order to single out the record for the number of major titles he shares with the world number one, and his Swiss rival, absent from the tournament, Roger Federer (20 titles).
The Spaniard’s next test will be against the winner of the match between Australian Thanasi Kokinakis and Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann.
In the most prominent results among men, the Italian Matteo Berrettini reached the seventh round, beating American Brandon Nakashima 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) 6-3, and Canadian Denis Shapovalov, the 14th, by defeating Serbian Laslo Diere 7-6 (7-6). 7-3) 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7-3).
An easy qualification for Osaka and Jaber’s withdrawal. In the women’s case, Japan’s 13th seed Naomi Osaka started her title defense campaign well by defeating Colombian Camila Osorio 6-3 6-3, while Tunisian ninth seed Anas Jabeur withdrew before her first-round match with Spain’s Nuria Barisas. , due to a back injury, according to the organizers.
Osaka will meet in the second round, American Madison Pringle, who beat Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska 6-1, 0-6, 5-0, then withdrew.
Having had the honor of being the first-server at Rod Laver Arena at this year’s edition, Germany’s Tatiana Maria bowed to Greece’s fifth Maria Sakkari, who emerged victorious 6-4 7-6 (7-2).
Although she is still affected by a recent infection with the Corona virus, Swiss Olympic champion Belinda Bencic, ranked 22, did not find it difficult to qualify for the second round, defeating French Kristina Mladenovic 6-4, 6-3.
The 15th Ukrainian Elina Svitolina also qualified by defeating the other Frenchwoman Fiona Ferro 6-1, 7-6 (7-4).
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