Rafael Nadal yesterday opened his Australian Open campaign in storming style, as the first Grand Slam of the year finally began after a chaotic buildup dominated by the visa saga engulfing world No. 1 Novak Djokovic.
Defending women’s champion Naomi Osaka breezed into the second round, as did world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty, but teenager Coco Gauff was an early big name casualty. The American 17-year-old was dumped out in straight sets by China’s Wang Qiang, who is ranked outside the top 100.
The only Australian Open champion in the men’s draw after nine-time winner Djokovic’s sensational deportation, Nadal started his quest to become the first male to win 21 Grand Slams by sweeping aside the 66th-ranked Marcos Giron 6-1, 6-4, 6-2.
Photo: Reuters
There was relief from Nadal that they were at last playing tennis — he said he had grown “quite tired” of talking about his great Serbian rival, for whom he said he still has respect.
“The ideal situation in the world of sport is that the best players are on court, no?” said Nadal, who next plays Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann in the second round. “Honestly I wish him all the best. I think the situation has been a mess. He’s not the only one that did probably the things bad.”
Unvaccinated Serbian Djokovic landed in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, early yesterday after his humiliating deportation from Australia, his dreams of a record-extending 10th Australian Open title over for this year.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Sunday said that Australian authorities were “harassing” Djokovic and called the court ruling that he be deported “a farce.”
“They think they humiliated Djokovic with this, the best player in the world, by the 10-day harassment, they humiliated themselves and Djokovic can return to his country with his head high up and look everyone in the eye,” he said.
The French Ministry of Sports yesterday said that Djokovic could be barred from playing in the French Open, as there would be no exemption from the country’s new vaccine pass law.
It was business as usual for Japan’s Osaka, who registered her 23rd win in her last 24 matches in the city of Melbourne, with a 6-3, 6-3 win against Colombia’s Camila Osorio.
Seeded 13 after a disrupted season last year, in which she said she had suffered “long bouts of depression,” Osaka raced to a 5-0 lead before cruising through in 68 minutes.
“I would say I feel more comfortable in my skin, if that makes sense,” said the 24-year-old, who won the title at Melbourne Park in 2019 and last year.
She is to play American Madison Brengle in the second round.
“I just want to have fun, first of all. I can’t expect myself to win every match, but I do expect myself to have fun and challenge myself,” she said.
Barty crushed qualifier Lesia Tsurenko in just 54 minutes on Rod Laver Arena, taking command early to race through the first set to love and wrap up the match 6-0, 6-1 in an ominous warning to her rivals.
“This is beautiful, it’s felt like an eternity since I’ve been here,” Barty said of playing in front of her home crowd.
Fourth seed Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic, the reigning French Open champion, had little problem in blowing away Germany’s Andrea Petkovic 6-2, 6-0 in 67 minutes.
American Madison Keys relied on her big serve on key points to beat 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin 7-6(2), 7-5 on John Cain Arena and reach the second round.
The highest-ranked player to lose in the first round so far was Britain’s 12th seed Cameron Norrie, easily beaten by American Sebastian Korda, the son of 1998 Australian Open champion Petr Korda, 6-3, 6-0, 6-4.
Tunisian ninth seed Ons Jabeur did not even make it onto court. She withdrew because of injury before her match against Spain’s Nuria Parrizas Diaz and was replaced by lucky loser Irina Bara of Romania.
Additional reporting by Reuters and AP
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