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The first Grand Slam of the new tennis season starts in Melbourne from January 16. 2023 Australian Open is set to provide no end of intriguing storylines.
Chief among them is the return Novak Djokovik a year after their relegation debacle, as the Serb matches Rafael Nadal’s Record of 22 Grand Slam titles.
Djokovic got off to the best possible start to the Australian Open, winning the Adelaide International warm-up event to secure his 92nd ATP singles title and move up to joint fourth in the all-time rankings with Nadal.
Only Jimmy Connors, Roger Federer and Ivan Lendl have won more Tour singles titles.
However, Djokovic suffered an injury on Wednesday and was forced to withdraw from a warm-up match against Daniil Medvedev.
The world No. 5 told 9News Melbourne it was the same hamstring problem he suffered during last week’s Adelaide International and his return against Medvedev was just a precaution.
He said, “I just felt drawn to it and I didn’t want to risk anything bad.” “I played a set and apologized to him [Medvedev] And he was understanding. I want to avoid any big scare before the Australian Open.
“There was a lot of caution going into today’s match regarding the hamstring. it was all right. A few times in the match, I felt the muscles getting tight, but nothing that should worry me for my performance.”
Djokovic is the bookmakers’ clear favorite to win the title and open his bid for a record-extending 10th Australian Open crown against Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena on Monday.
“We all wonder how he got with his hamstring injury,” former professional and current broadcaster Barbara Schatt told CNN’s Amanda Davis, where he said he didn’t want to play that match against Medvedev and cut back some of his drills. lamps.” , But he started the season brilliantly, won a tournament in Adelaide and he is hungry.
“He was not allowed to play in Australia, he was not allowed to enter Australia and it was very difficult for him to digest. I think he is over it now and he just wants to start afresh. He’s had so much success at the Australian Open in the past, won the title there nine times so he feels really comfortable there and interestingly how he’ll be received.
People have loved him in Adelaide, hope the same happens in Melbourne. When he came off the court the other day for his first practice, he was kissing the court which shows you how much it meant to him.
“I think he’s hungry, he’s had a good rest last year because he’s only played 11 tournaments and he’s played some incredible tennis that’s gotten his career going… so he’s my favorite going into this year’s Australian Open.” A player, that’s for sure.”
Unfortunately for tennis fans, especially Spain’s, the men’s world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz An injury to his right leg during training last week will rule him out of the tournament in Melbourne.
The Australian Open would have been Alcaraz’s first Grand Slam since winning the 2022 US Open in September, but his spot at the top of the rankings is now under threat as Djokovic, Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas are all capable of taking the No. 1 spot. His.
Last year, Alcaraz won five ATP titles and became the youngest No. 1 in men’s tennis by winning his first Grand Slam title in New York. He is the youngest man since Rafael Nadal to break into the top 10 and win an ATP 1000 title.
At 19 years and 214 days old, Alcaraz became the youngest year-end No. 1 in the history of men’s tennis, surpassing Lleyton Hewitt’s record in 2001.
Fortunately, the injury does not appear to be too serious as Alcaraz announced in a tweet on Wednesday that he will be back on court for the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires, which starts on February 11.
It will instead be Nadal flying the flag for Spain at the top end of the rankings, who will be hoping to defend the title he won in 2022.
However, the world No. 2 – the No. 1 seed in Melbourne in Alcaraz’s absence – has struggled with injuries and made a slow start to the year, losing only two matches so far in the United Cup.
Nadal has been given a tough draw in the opening round and will face exciting British youngster Jack Draper, who started the season with a bang by reaching the semi-finals of the Adelaide International.
“You never know with Rafa Nadal,” Skat said. “We know that there are times when he has to deal with injuries and then all of a sudden he pops up and wins a Grand Slam title.
“It was very similar to last year where he hasn’t played much tennis and he blows it up here at the Australian Open and wins the title, so I wouldn’t read too much into it that he lost two matches in the United Cup.
“Of course, facing Jack Draper in the first round is not an easy draw, but with Rafa Nadal, he should never be underestimated because he has experience, especially at Grand Slam level, and I think he is more Looking forward to Grand Slam titles.”
Other notable first-round ties in the men’s draw include world No. 14 and last year’s semi-finalist Matteo Berrettini, who joins three-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray as well as box office home favorite Nick Kyrgios to become the first Australian champion. Have a goal. 47 years, against Roman Safiullin.
Inga Swiatek will be hoping to add an Australian Open title to her already impressive resume, which includes two French Open titles and a US Open crown.
Still just 21 years old, Swiatek was tipped by many to become the sport’s dominant force after holding onto the world No. 1 ranking following Ash Barty’s shock retirement from the sport last year.
Swiatek is now at the top of the rankings and at the US Open late last year, dispelled any doubts that her Grand Slam success on clay could not be transferred to hard courts.
The Polish star enjoyed an absurdly successful 2022, winning a staggering eight titles including the French Open, US Open and WTA 1000 events in Rome, Miami and Indian Wells.
Swiatek’s success last year has put her in another stratosphere at the top of the women’s rankings, nearly 6,000 points clear of world No. 2 Ons Jabur.
Swiatek is the undisputed top favorite at the Australian Open and will be confident of improving on last year’s semi-final finish but given a difficult opening round tie against Germany’s Jule Niemeyer.
The 23-year-old, who stormed into the quarter-finals of Wimbledon and the round-of-16 at the US Open last year with some big hits, is now ranked 68 in the world, playing her first main draw at the Australian Open .
The world No. 3 will be one of Swiatek’s main contenders for the title in Melbourne jessica pegulaWho beat Pole in last week’s United Cup semi-final before going on to lift the title.
It was the third Tour win of Pegula’s career, the highlight of the previous year’s WTA 1000 event in Guadalajara, Mexico, and the US star has become one of the more consistent performers on the Tour.
Pegula was also instrumental in Team USA’s victory at the United Cup, the inaugural mixed-gender team event, and her stellar start to the year gave her the confidence to clinch her first Grand Slam title Down Under.
Among other names likely to go deep into the Australian Open is Jaibur, who enjoyed a successful year in 2022 by reaching two Grand Slam finals.
Although she lost in the finals of both Wimbledon and the US Open, Jabur won two WTA titles last year, including the Madrid 1000 event, to add to her previous title from Birmingham in 2021.
Jabeur’s success in 2022 has helped him climb to a career-best No. 2 in the world and his varied game, dangerous on all surfaces, makes him a real threat in Melbourne, with the veteran having reached two major finals an undoubted benefit It happens .
Teenage superstar Coco Gauff will be another player hoping to break her Grand Slam duck even as she reaches her maiden final in 2022.
Gauff lost to Swiatek in the final of the French Open but impressed on clay, a surface that is by no means her favourite, which will surely give her increased confidence to put up a better show in Australia on her favorite surface Can
Although she did not win a singles title in 2022, Gauff continued her rise as the world’s most dominant doubles player by winning three WTA titles with fellow American Pegula.
Still just 18 years old, Gauff has 2022 ranked in the top 10 in both singles and doubles – seventh and fourth respectively – and will surely be a serious contender at all four Grand Slams in 2023.