Melbourne, Jan 16: Rafael Nadal never truly seemed in danger of becoming the first Australian Open defending men’s champion to lose in the first round since his current coach, Carlos Moya, managed to beat Boris Becker a quarter of a century ago.
Still, this was not a vintage performance by Nadal, who came into Monday’s matchup of left-handers against 21-year-old Jack Draper with an 0-2 record in 2023 and six losses in his past seven outings overall. After nearly two hours of so-so play, Nadal found himself even at a set apiece.
He appeared to be pulling away, taking advantage of his opponent’s bout with cramps on an afternoon with the temperature at about 30 degrees Celsius, when suddenly Draper went up by a break in the fourth set. From there, though, Nadal would not drop another game, beginning his pursuit of a record-extending 23rd Grand Slam championship with a 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory that took more than 3 1/2 hours in Rod Laver Arena.
Nadal was not in peak form. All in all, it was a bit of a struggle. He tried to put a silver-lining spin on things, nonetheless.
“If we put in perspective all the situation that I went through the last six months,” the 36-year-old from Spain said, “I think it was a very positive start.” Americans Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff and Danielle Collins, the 2022 runner-up at Melbourne Park, all reached the second round in the women’s bracket with victories earlier on Monday.
Kyrgios withdraws
The biggest surprise of the day was the withdrawal of Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios.
A “devastated” Kyrgios pulled out of the Australian Open on Monday – the day before he was scheduled to play his first-round singles match – because of an injured left knee that needs arthroscopic surgery.
Kyrgios, a 27-year-old from Australia, was the runner-up to Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon last year in singles and teamed with good friend Thanasi Kokkinakis to claim the men’s doubles championship at the 2022 Australian Open.
Kyrgios was considered the host country’s strongest chance to win a title at Melbourne Park this year; no man from Australia has won the singles trophy there since 1976.
“Just bad timing. But that’s life,” said a downcast Kyrgios, who occasionally lowered his head or covered his face with a hand during a news conference at Melbourne Park alongside his physical therapist, Will Maher. “Injury is a part of the sport.” Kyrgios announced his withdrawal on Day 1 of action at the year’s first Grand Slam tournament.
“I’m just exhausted from everything. Obviously pretty brutal,” Kyrgios said of the decision to sit out. “One of the most important tournaments of my career. Hasn’t been easy at all.” He was seeded 19th in Melbourne and was supposed to face Roman Safiullin in the first round on Tuesday.
Djokovic’s return
Djokovic is set to make his return to action at the Australian Open after being banned from the country a year ago because he was not vaccinated against COVID-19. He has won 30 of his past 31 tournament matches dating to the end of last season.
He is chasing his 10th trophy at the Australian Open and 22nd Grand Slam title overall, which would tie rival Nadal for the most by a man in tennis history.
Djokovic faces Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena on Tuesday at Rod Laver Arena in a first-round matchup.
No. 2 seed Casper Ruud opens against Tomas Machac, while three-time major champion Andy Murray takes on Matteo Berrettini.
The No. 2-seeded woman, two-time Slam runner-up Ons Jabeur, plays Tamara Zidansek, and No. 4 Caroline Garcia faces Katherine Sebov.
Monday’s Key Results
Women’s First Round: No. 1 Iga Swiatek beat Jule Niemeier 6-4, 7-5; No. 3 Jessica Pegula beat Jaqueline Adina Cristian 6-0, 6-1; No. 6 Maria Sakkari beat Yuan Yue, 6-1, 6-4; No. 7 Coco Gauff beat Katerina Siniakova 6-1, 6-4; No. 13 Danielle Collins beat Anna Kalinskaya 7-5, 5-7, 6-4; No. 15 Petra Kvitova beat Alison van Uytvanck 7-6 (3), 6-2; No. 17 Jelena Ostapenko beat Dayana Yastremska 6-4, 6-2; No. 24 Victoria Azarenka beat Sofia Kenin 6-4, 7-6 (3); Bianca Andreescu beat No. 25 Marie Bouzkova 6-2, 6-4; Marta Kostyuk beat No. 28 Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 6-4.
Men’s First Round: No. 1 Rafael Nadal beat Jack Draper 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1; No. 10 Hubert Hurkacz beat Pedro Martinez 7-6 (1), 6-2, 6-2; No. 15 Jannik Sinner beat Kyle Edmund 6-4, 6-0, 6-2; No. 28 Francisco Cerundolo beat Guido Pella 6-4, 6-4, 6-3; No. 16 Frances Tiafoe beat Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6); No. 20 Denis Shapovalov beat Dusan Lajovic 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1; No. 29 Sebastian Korda beat Cristian Garin 6-4, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2; Alex Molcan beat Stan Wawrinka 6-7 (3), 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4. (AP)
