Melbourne: Rafael Nadal’s offer to win a Grand Slam 21 record when the Australian Open began on Monday was given a big boost with the absence of a history-chaser Djokovic.
The Grand Slam winner was drawn to meet in the semifinals, Toredo’s prospect when Djokovic was not vaccinated to lose his last offer to avoid deportation on the night of the tournament.
The 34-year-old top seed, who has won eight of the last 11 editions of Melbourne Major, has been scheduled to play Monday night because he tried to defend his title.
World number one insult means he will not have the opportunity to lift the Norman Brookes Challenge cup for the 10th time and make a history of men’s tennis.
Instead he left Australia.
With Roger Federer injured and absent, Nadal and number two Danil Medvedev are the main beneficiaries of the 11-hour withdrawal that Djokovic enforced.
But others, including the Alexander Zverev Olympic champion and Greek world number four Stefanos Tsitipas, will pay attention to the golden opportunity to win first.
“The Australian Open is far more important than any player,” Nadal said on Saturday, taking swipe in Djokovic.
“The Australian Open will be a great Australian with or without him.” Now it’s been 13 years since Nadal aged 35 years, who started his campaign against America Marcos Giron on Monday, won the title alone in Melbourne, although four journey further to the final.
Nadal struggled with a foot injury for more than last year, ending his season in August, then contracted Covid in December, said it made him “very sick”.
But the French open champion 13 times it swept the field to win a warm-up event at Melbourne Park, suggesting he did not suffer from long-term effects.
Russia Medvedev, who faced Henri Laksonen Switzerland in the first round on Tuesday, conquered Djokovic in the US Open final in September to win his first major and ended Serbia’s offer to win the Grand Slam calendar.
He headed the bottom of the lottery and would not meet Djokovic until the final in any case.
“Even if Novak is drawing, I can only see it in the final,” Medvedev said, who had cut a confident figure.
“I need to win six matches before this.
It won’t change my preparations.” Tokyo German Gold Medal Zverev is another person who will like his chances in a sudden draw seen open.
“There are still many people who have the potential to make this tournament really interesting,” he said.
“I think it will be fun to watch.” Andy Murray, runner-up in Australia opened five times, returned to the Wildcard for the first time since the appearance of the “farewell” emotional 2019 after undergoing hip surgery that allowed him to make an extraordinary comeback.
The 34-year-old Englishman will start his offer of Nikoloz Basilhvili Nikoloz and the former number one looks more like himself.
At the weekend Sydney, Scot reached his first final since 2019 in a massive encouragement for his confidence.