The number one opens with authority before the Bolivian (6-2, 6-3 and 6-0, in 2h 02m) and the Argentine Delbonis will be measured. Bautista appeals to Feliciano (6-2, 6-2 and 7-5) and Muguruza stands before Rogers (0-6, 6-1 and 6-0)
Rafael Nadal began his journey in this Australian Open in a profitable morning of amusement. In front was Hugo Dellien, a Bolivian with a rocambolesque story behind him who left tennis when he was a junior, invested the 13,500 euros he had saved on setting up an ice company and ended up losing everything. Luckily, today life smiles at him, he earns his bread playing in the tennis elite and, logically, he was excited about the mere fact of stepping on the Melbourne center for the first time and measuring himself at number one, bringing all of it it implies.
He tried firsthand what that means: Nadal, without the need to force the machine, but rather completing a playful premiere and ideal for winning biorhythms, ran over him from start to finish. 6-2, 6-3 and 6-0, in two almost exact hours (2h 02m). Great way to put the first foot in a tournament in which the talk is repeated in any corner of Melbourne Park, eager everyone to know if the Balearic will be able to raise his second big in Australia and, in this way, match the 20 majors of Roger Federer. The song sounds nonstop, while the two protagonists stick to the day to day and match to match. And, in the case of Nadal, this summer Tuesday was the most productive.
In a snap of his fingers he had already left until 4-0 and had made things clear to Dellien: fun is not synonymous with concessions, or at least none beyond that pair of services he lost when he was already engaged in oiling the chain will already experiment with its blows, exploring angles and effects as if the track were a canvas and he wanted to draw an abstract. The Bolivian (26 years, 72 of the world) got tired of running, but he did not worry the least of the circuit leader, who had a break to decant the second round and in the third he adopted his most serious record to close with A monologue The boy, then, will not have to keep his promise to dye his hair green and white in honor of his country.
“No, I only think of Delbonis (6-3, 6-4 to 7-6 to Joao Sousa), that’s all,” he replied when he was mentioned number 20. “I think about my training tomorrow and maintaining the level of tennis that I played in the third set. That should be my goal today, my concern, right? If I am able to play at my best level I will have good options, but if not, impossible, ”he continued; “I’m not worried about 20, 15 or 16. I just think about moving on and enjoying my career. I don’t need to reach 20; if I do it, fantastic and if it’s 21, better; if I keep 19, super happy for it. ”
Without any shock, Nadal had a placid staging in Melbourne, which on Tuesday kicked off to compensate for the suspensions of the previous day due to the rains. 96 games in the program and a large Spanish representation, with number one leading and Roberto Bautistaopening track early in the morning. The Spaniard does not loosen, a blow of victory in this course start. He beat Feliciano López (6-2, 6-2 and 7-5, in 2h 10m) and extended a sweet present that speaks of seven games and seven victories in this 2020 takeoff. “It’s getting weird, because Feli and I [ Fellows in the Davis Cup and the recent ATP Cup] we have been practically two months together… ”, he said in the conference room, still waiting for the opponent in the next round, Pablo Andújar or Michael Mmoh.
Then, at noon he offered a bell with the comeback of Alejandro Davidovich, the Malaga-born Viking man who two years ago dazzled in Wimbledon as junior. Now he works to make his own place in the circuit and the dynamics are positive: with 20 years, he added his fourth professional victory, the first in a Grand Slam: 4-6, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 and 6-2 in 3h 04m to Norbert Gombos. The previous day had been achieved by Paula Badosa and he enrolled in a duel that constantly oscillated. Installed in position 88 of the list, he will face a major challenge on Wednesday, because on the other side of the network will be the Argentine Diego Schwartzman (6-4, 6-2 and 6-2 to Lloyd Harris). In the afternoon session, Valencian Pedro Martínez (22) followed the wheel and also signed his first victory (6-4 6-4 7-5 to Dominik Koepfer) on a big stage.
In Spanish, Pablo Carreño (6-4, 3-6, 6-1 and 7-6 to Jozef Kovalik) and Fernando Verdasco (7-5, 6-2 and 6-1 to Evgeny Donskoy) also progressed, but no thus Pablo Andújar (6-1, 6-4 and 6-4 with Michael Mmoh) and Mario Vilella Martínez (6-4, 4-6, 6-7 and 6-3 favorable to Karen Khachanov). In the women’s team, Garbiñe Muguruza dodged a delicate situation and turned the premiere with the American Shelby Rogers. After starting in false, it was imposed in 12 of the 13 games that settled after the first set: 0-6, 6-1 and 6-0 (in 1h 34m). On Thursday he will face Alja Tomljanovic (double 6-1 to Anastasija Sevastova).
