Australian Open: Melbourne, the first station where Nadal can match the 20 'big' of Federer

The Spaniard, who debuted on Tuesday, before Hugo Dellien, 72 of the world, has a favorable trend with respect to the helvtico. Djokovic, heptacampen and title defender, is the favorite

Rafa Nadal, during a training in Melbourne.

SCOTT BARBOUR EFE

When Roger Federer finished in Wimbledon 2001 with a streak of four consecutive titles by Pete Sampras, a total of seven in the All England Club, defeating him in the round of 16, it was hard to imagine that eight years later he would equal his 14 grand. He did it at Roland Garros, in a story relatized by the immense value that he possesses in order to succeed, finally, triumph over Parisian clay and join Wash, Budge, Perry Y Agassi, then the only men able to put their seal on the big four. Sampras had won the last of his majors at the 2002 US Open, which was also his farewell game of tennis.

When Rafael Nadal stopped Federer in the semifinals of Roland Garros 2005, to win later Mariano Zabaleta his first Grand Slam title and raising the first of his 12 cups in that tournament, it was also unlikely that almost three years later he would have the possibility of getting into the Swiss drawer, now a holder of 20 majors. Sampras he got up to the big 11 of Borg – already retired on that date – when he won his fifth Wimbledon in 1998, and then left him behind. It will take Federer just three weeks to take distances with the American, winning his sixth Wimbledon and will open a blunt gap in the seasons that came.

Now, at the Australian Open, where he was champion in 2009 and has played the finals of 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2019, Nadal, 33 years, threatens a record that at times is presumed final. Everything remains to be played since the Spanish debuts in Melbourne against the Bolivian Hugo Dellien, 72 of the world, in the Spanish morning of Tuesday, but the hypothesis that on February 2, gives the final, can become a major date in the history of tennis is there.

There is no secret. It's just passion, love for the game and the ability to stay positive in complicated moments, Nadal said in Melbourne in his appearance before the media, after admitting again that he is surprised at his brilliant longevity on the courts, given the characteristics of his game.

The three candidates, active

Australia is the first bullet in Nadal's loader that, unlike Federer when he equals Sampras or the Washington player when he reaches Borg, has the Helvtico still active, with the possibility of raising his numbers and defending with greater guarantees the more than an honorary place as the best tennis player ever. The trend, however, places Federer, 38 years old, whose last big one dates from Melbourne 2018, at a disadvantage. Nadal won again last year at Roland Garros and also did so at the US Open.

Even without entering this direct struggle at the moment, it is convenient to keep Novak in mind Djokovic, seven times winner of the Australian Open and title defender. The Serbian has regained the lost spark in the final stretch of last year and again demonstrated with his victory against Nadal in the recent final of the ATP Cup which is, by far, the best on hard court. Also winner of Wimbledon in the year he left, with his 16 majors is willing to litigate as the one in that race of uncertain outcome that has resized his enormous interest.

Australia, brutally flogged with fire for weeks, is the authentic opening of a season that has only so far emitted some indications of what is to come. In the colossal fight between the three great dominators of the game in the last five years they try to get their heads out once and for all the calls to take over.

Ah est Stefanos Tsitsipas, last champion of the ATP Finals, semifinalist last year in Melbourne, perhaps the most daring of those who arrive, traveling along the side of the Djokovic box. Y Alexander Zverev, in search of getting into the top four in a tournament of this category for the first time, of fighting the acne outbreaks that still haunt him with out of tune reactions and unconvincing results. Ah est Daniil Medvedev, adversary of Nadal in a hypothetical semifinals, whose emergence in the second half of 2019 should have continuity. There is the unpredictable Nick Kyrgios, with plenty of qualities to disturb Nadal himself if they are to be seen in the round of 16.