Russia in working order
Daniil Medvedev has made a perfect entry into the running in Melbourne. The world No. 2 knows he is expected, even more since the disappearance of Novak Djokovic from the table. Along with a second Grand Slam win, Medvedev is also aiming for the world No. 1 spot. Nothing to put pressure on him. For his first match, we had to wait for the third set to see him challenged a little by his opponent Henri Laksonen (6-1, 6-4, 7-6 [3]). “I wanted to win this third set, but I told myself that I was going to wait for the tie-break. And it worked, so I’m very happy. I want to do better than last year, but it won’t be easy.”, said the finalist of the last edition.
Andrey Rublev may not be as natural a favourite, but the world number five is still one hell of a customer. Especially when he keeps his ball in the court and his power remains devastating. This was the case against Gianluca Mager, quickly reduced to a punching bag role (6-3, 6-2, 6-2).
The Package: Casper Ruud
He was one of the strong men of the end of the season, but we will have to wait to see Casper Ruud again at his best in 2022. The Norwegian, seeded n ° 8, withdrew before his match due to an injury to an ankle he’s been dragging for two days and a training session. “I was hoping to recover in two days and be able to get on the court, but when you twist an ankle it usually takes longer”, he explained.
In the other matches of the night, Diego Schwartzman did not tremble against Filip Krajinovic (6-3, 6-4, 7-5). same for me Jannik Sinner who did not drop a set against Joao Sousa (6-4, 7-5, 6-1). Still there, Grigor Dimitrov remained well focused against Jiri Lehecka (6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5).
Fernandez falls from above
Finalist of the last US Open, Leylah Fernandez was inevitably expected. Alas, the Canadian (24th) was surprised by the Australian Maddison Inglis (133rd and wild card) in two short sets (6-4, 6-2). Melbourne definitely does not succeed in Fernandez who concedes a third consecutive failure in the first round.
Swiatek and Halep in full swing
Visibly very motivated since the start of the season, Iga Swiatek confirmed her good intentions by easily qualifying for the second round. The Polish, 9th in the world, did not go into detail against the qualified British Harriet Dart (6-3, 6-0). The result is all the more interesting for Swiatek as she started her match badly. Disturbed in the service by the wind, she was trailing 3-1 in the first set before putting everything back in order and lining up 11 games in a row. “The first laps are always difficult, but I was confident that I would eventually find my rhythm”, she explained after her match.
Simona Halep has left the top 10 in the world, but the Romanian seems to be in good shape after a sad 2021 season. Against Magdalena Frech, she didn’t spend a minute more than necessary on the court (6-4, 6-3) for a very convincing victory.
Stosur is resisting
“In a way, it’s easier because you know it’s your last chance to do something. If you don’t make it there, you never will.”, dropped Sam Stosur after his victory over Robin Anderson (6-7 [5], 6-3, 6-3). And the Australian knows what she is talking about since at 37, she announced that she would end her career at the end of this Australian Open. Freed by this decision, she plays without any pressure. “It’s a bit like playing with my back to the wall, and it’s a feeling that I have long sought in my career. »