Roberto Bautista, seed number 12 of the Australian Open, is out of the tournament at the first exchange after losing against Moldovan Radu Albot (31 years and 85th in the world) in four sets and 3h: 15: 6-7 (1), 6-0, 6-4 and 7-6 (5). It is the third time that the Castellón player has fallen in the first round of a tournament in which last year he reached the third after being a quarter-finalist in 2019. Disappointment for a strangely listless and tired Bautista (perhaps with some kind of discomfort after the ATP Cup) who was surprised by Albot's high pace and that he had advantage of a break in the fourth set to have forced the fifth. He did not give a good feeling at any time, especially with the donut embedded in the second sleeve. Not even in the first the game dominated. “There are times when the head and the body do not go. We return home earlier than expected. There is no other than to get up and continue,” wrote the Castellón tennis player on his social networks.
Pablo Andújar, for his part, ended the four-year streak on Tuesday without going beyond the first round of the oceanic Grand Slam that gripped him since he won his last match in 2014 (before the Polish Janowicz). Since then, five defeats counting the previous one in 2018. The Cuenca also had four defeats between the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021. It is his first victory since he beat Federico Coria in the Antwerp tournament last October. The 35-year-old Spanish tennis player and 59th in the world also beat Frenchman Quentin Halys in three sets (24th and 206th): 6-4, 7-5 and 7-5 in 2:14. In the second round, Serbian Filip Krajinovic awaits him.
Andújar did not have it easy in any of the three sleeves, in the first he was twice with a disadvantage break, but he came back from 3-1 and broke the serve of his rival to get to 5-4 and sentence with his service. In the other two sets he repeated the pattern of breaking in the eleventh game. Halys hit him 17 aces for a total of 49 winners, but the big difference was in the unforced errors. Those of the Gaul soared (51), while those of Andújar were minimized (12). Patience was the key.
Feliciano López wins five years later
Another Spaniard who had a negative streak at the Australian Open also won. Feliciano López couldn't get past the first round since 2016, when he reached the third, and he removed the thorn before the Australian guest Li Tu, a young player without ranking whom he beat by 6-7 (1), 6-4, 7-6 (4) and 6-4 in 2:46. Last year he did not manage to pass to the second round in any of the three greats that were held. “It was difficult to play this match, because I didn't know anything about my opponent. I asked other Australians, in case they knew anything and to give me some information. I didn't know if I could come here, because my son was born on January 4, “said Feliciano, who with 54 winning strokes (21 from direct service) started his 76th Grand Slam, the 75th in a row, an absolute record in that regard. On Thursday he will face the Italian Lorenzo Sonego.
Carballés opens and Vilella leaves
Another of the Spanish joys of the day was given by Roberto Carballés, who won his first match in the Aussie Grand Slam on the third attempt. The Tenerife-born player defeated Hungarian Attila Balasz 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 and 6-3 in 2:38. “I am very happy, it is my first victory here in Australia, I had a great game, very focused on the game. I started more nervous than normal, I had a lot of balls in break, and that was tense me a little more. I came back in the first set, but in the second, when I had break balls almost every game, he beat me. From the break of the third the game changed “, explained Carballés, who now he will run into a bone, the Russian and fourth seed Daniil Medvedev. “He is one of the candidates to win the tournament, but I am happy to be in the second round. Now I have to prepare for the game and give it my all, because I won't have any option if I don't do my best tennis. I'll play looser than today I will have to go out more aggressive and look for the tickles, “he said about what awaits him.
Who could not advance was Mario Vilella, who will not keep very good memories of his debut in the Grand Slams, since he had to withdraw in the fourth set due to some discomfort in the lumbar area when he lost against Czech Machac 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-0 and 3-0 after 2h: 32 of play. Until the second set, the Spaniard stood up, but later, perhaps due to lack of habit of playing best-of-five games, he could not continue competing on equal terms.
Schedule and results.