The Australian Open, the last Grand Slam that could be played normally in 2020, before the coronavirus pandemic changed the lives of millions of people around the world, returns this year with its open edition number 52 (109 in total) in conditions that none of the others can afford. And it is that the organizing country is one of the few that presents a rate of incidence of the disease low enough so that, for example, the use of the mask is not mandatory outdoors. It is the consequence of a harsh containment policy experienced by tennis players who came to Melbourne and Adelaide, who had to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine, in some cases without leaving your room. Paula Badosa, the only tennis player who was infected in the city, spent even longer in a medicalized hotel, with hardly any services and without being able to open the window to breathe fresh air.
For that reason, among other things, the best Aussie will be able to start this morning. Once the quarantine is over, in Melbourne there is no bubble. There the race between the number one and current champion (it was for the eighth time), Novak Djokovic, and the two, a Rafa Nadal who will seek his 21st title in a major, resumes., the second in Down Under, with which he would already advance the absent Federer in the historical list and would be the only tennis player of the Open Era (since 1968) with at least two trophies in each major. The Serbian is still behind, with 17. The Swiss, who is recovering from a double operation on his right knee, will return next March in Doha. “I won here in 2009, but even so many people don't even remember,” Rafa joked a few days ago during the exhibition that took place in Adelaide. and in which he beat Thiem even though he already had back pain, the part of his anatomy that has the world of tennis on edge.
“The problem is that I have a muscle in my back that tenses when I serve and does not allow me to do the movement one hundred percent, it does not allow me to force myself. I have noticed better, but it burdens me. It is not a serious problem, although I have not improved as much as I would like, “Nadal explains to warn that he is “A little worried”, without this meaning that there are no options for success: “It is not a serious injury, I was tested. He did not give up anything.If I pass the first round and win time, the good feelings can return. I'm doing everything I can to improve. “Among other things, training with Carlos Alcaraz. For his debut, the Serbian Laslo Djere (25 years and 56th in the world) awaits him on the morning session of Tuesday, early in the morning in Spain (around 04 : 00, Eurosport). Djokovic and Nadal will have other dangerous enemies lurking, mainly Thiem and Medvedev, not forgetting Zverev and Tsitsipas, the young people who have already appeared and have beaten them on more than one occasion.
Serena, for the 24th
In the women's draw, once again there is talk of a new assault by Serena Williams in search of the 24th great trophy with which she equals the absolute mark of Margaret Court. She has not been able to win a Grand Slam precisely since she did it in 2017 where she is going to play again now, before being a mother. It will not be easy before a wide group of applicants, among which are Muguruza, a finalist in 2020, the current champion, Kenin, and the world number one, Barty, in addition to the Japanese Osaka. Williams, who has problems with her right shoulder, faces Germany's Siegemund tonight. From the Navy, only Carreño, Ramos and Martínez will debut. The other 11 Spaniards will do it on Tuesday. The show is guaranteed … and with an audience: 30,000 daily viewers, 25,000 from rooms. Tennis gradually returns to normality.