Nadal launches title defence as Australian Open ushers in new era
15 January 2023 |
12:55 pm
Rafa Nadal will kick off his Australian Open title defence on Monday with a first round test against rising Briton Jack Draper as a new era begins on the blue hardcourts of Melbourne Park. {ad} This is the first Grand Slam following Roger Federer’s retirement and Serena Williams’s “evolving away” from tennis. Spaniard Nadal carries…
Rafael Nadal
Rafa Nadal will kick off his Australian Open title defence on Monday with a first round test against rising Briton Jack Draper as a new era begins on the blue hardcourts of Melbourne Park.
{ad}
This is the first Grand Slam following Roger Federer’s retirement and Serena Williams’s “evolving away” from tennis.
Spaniard Nadal carries the flame for the fading golden generation as he bids for a 23rd major title and third at Melbourne Park.
The 36-year-old is third up at Rod Laver Arena, returning to the centre court where a year ago he conjured the “miracle of Melbourne”, coming back from two sets down to topple Daniil Medvedev in a five-set classic.
However, as Nadal observed on Saturday, tennis moves quickly.
The top seed has had only one win since September’s U.S. Open and admitted his title defence was vulnerable to an early shock after two straight defeats in the lead-up.
A young man in a hurry, 21-year-old Draper surged into the top 40 after a run to the Adelaide II semi-finals last week and has previously recorded wins over a slew of top players, including Stefanos Tsitsipas and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
{ad}
“It’s probably one of the toughest first rounds possible, being seeded,” Nadal said of the match-up.
“I’m here to just give myself a chance.”
With local hero Ash Barty having retired last March after ending Australia’s 44-year wait for a home winner, the women’s tournament will feature a new champion.
Top seed Iga Swiatek is strong favourite to succeed Barty and win her first title at Melbourne Park, having won two of the four Grand Slams in 2022.
The reigning French and U.S. Open champion opens her campaign against Jule Niemeier in the first evening match at Rod Laver Arena, the German who gave Swiatek a huge scare in the U.S. Open fourth round.
With American tennis looking for a new champion in the post-Serena era, Coco Gauff will open the day session at Rod Laver Arena against Czech Katerina Siniakova.
{ad}
Related
1 hour ago
The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has warned newly-registered companies against paying certain fees to obtain tax identification number (TIN) amongst others. The management of CAC gave this warning in a statement on its X handle on Friday. CAC said it noticed email messages sent to directors of newly-registered companies. READ ALSO: CAC targets registration of…
2 hours ago
A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed money laundering charges against former Attorney-General Mohammed Adoke. Justice Inyang Ekwo ruled on Friday that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) failed to present a strong enough case (prima facie case) against Adoke. EFCC alleged that Adoke sometime in August 2013 in Abuja accepted a cash…
3 hours ago
The Kwara Government has said it will target about 1.5 million children between zero and five years of age, for polio vaccination across the 16 Local Government Area of the State.
4 hours ago
Gov. Bassey Otu of Cross River says his administration has provided a matching fund of N100 million to scale up food and nutrition interventions in the state.
4 hours ago
Senator Ede Dafinone, the lawmaker representing Delta Central Senatorial District in the Nigerian Senate, has expressed his heartfelt gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Army Staff for their instrumental roles in securing the release of His Royal Majesty, King Clement Ikolo, Urhukpe 1, the monarch of Ewu-Urhobo…
4 hours ago
Officers from the Ikotun Police Division, Lagos State have rescued three children who had been locked in a room for days by their grandmother. Police spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, in a statement on Friday, stated that an investigation is ongoing on the matter. Hundeyin disclosed that the children have been kept safe while the grandmother…
5 hours ago
A Volvo truck (unregistered) carrying loads of food items overturned in the Ojota area of Lagos on Friday, leaving its occupants with serious injuries.
5 hours ago
A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit filed by seven senior advocates of Nigeria against the National Judicial Council (NJC) and others over the alleged unlawful appointment of judges in Kogi.
5 hours ago
At least 23 people have been killed in an attack by bandits on the Anguwar Danko community in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State, according to a community leader. The attack, which occurred Wednesday night, has yet to be confirmed by Kaduna State Police authorities. A leader in the community, Zubairu Abdulrahuf, told…
5 hours ago
The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has placed former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, on a watchlist. Immigration took this step after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday declared Bello wanted. NIS placed Bello on the watchlist in a circular dated April 18 and signed by Assistant Comptroller of Immigration, DS Umar, for…
×
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox every day of the week. Stay informed with the Guardian’s leading coverage of Nigerian and world news, business, technology and sports.
0 Comments
We will review and take appropriate action.