Australia has been the first stop of the Grand Slam tournaments for the new year. The first rounds in Melbourne have already been completed leaving the first knockouts, where we find the biggest surprise on the fall of Italian Matteo Berrettini against five-times finalist of Melbourne Andy Murray. A crazy match that was solved in a 10-points tie-break.
Unfortunately, the Spanish expedition has not succeed at all in this first days in Melbourne. Out of the nine representatives, five have already been knocked out in the first round, which is the case of Jaume Munar, Zapata Miralles, Pedro Martínez, Ramos-Vinolas and Carballes Baena, who fell to Novak Djokovic.
Current champion Rafael Nadal did not scape either, as he fell to MacKenzie McDonald. Rafa got injured on his hip during the second set of his match and played the third and decisive set through pride and courage, which are two characteristics that he really showed back in that 2022 epic final against Medveded. Despite, the two-times champion of Australia was unable to come back and so he leaves the tournament to early and starts off the year on a negative way.
The second round will kick off tonight with the only survivors of the Spanish expedition. Davidovich Fokina will go first at 1.00 a.m. against Tommy Paul and will look to overcome the first round of this Grand Slam for the first time in his career. Pablo Carreño will take on Benjamin Bonzi at 5.45 a.m. and so Roberto Bautista will half an hour later against Holt.
Now Djokovic will look to win his 22nd Gran Slam and tie Nadal. The Serbian wants to lift his 10th trophy in Australia and is the main candidate for it. However, in case he did not accomplish it, this year we would witness a new champion in Melbourne since Stan Wawrinka back in 2014.
With the defeats of the Swiss and Rafa in the first rounds of Melbourne, Djokovic is the only player in the bracket that can repeat the feat.
Translated by Guillermo Bermejo.
Main image: @AustralianOpen.
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