Fired-Up Djokovic Down to Business, Nadal Sidelined Djokovic Won His First Match of the Season at ATP Cup, Thiem Bungles Italian Job
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2021 12 Kyrgios makes winning return after year out Fired-up Djokovic down to business, Nadal sidelined Djokovic won his first match of the season at ATP Cup, Thiem bungles Italian job Novak Djokovic won• singles and doubles matches to ensure a 2-1 comeback 10 win over Canada ATP Cup matches have been played by Novak Djokovic without facing Nadal pulls out defeat Nick Kyrgios hits a return with• sore back AFP | Melbourne AFP | Melbourne beat John Millman 6-2, 6-4 to howman Nick Kyrgios ensure his country claimed the Spulled victory “out of a hat” ustralian Open champi- tie. yesterday in his first match for on Novak Djokovic got a year, rallying from a set down KNOW WHAT Ahis season off to a perfect Thiem tumbles to get his Australian Open start with a battling win over While Djokovic tasted victory, preparations off to a winning Denis Shapovalov in the ATP US Open champion Thiem, who start. Kyrgios last played in Cup yesterday, but Rafael Nadal lost to the Serb in a gripping The enigmatic 25-year-old February last year in pulled out injured and world Australian Open final last year, last performed in February Acapulco before the number three Dominic Thiem Novak Djokovic hits a return got his season off to a disap - 2020 at the Acapulco Open, crashed to defeat. pointing start. before a wrist injury and then COVID-19 pandemic The Serbian world number “I thought we both played on from 24 teams to 12 this year He slumped 6-2, 6-4 to Italian the coronavirus pandemic shut down the tour one, who will be chasing a ninth a pretty high level, so I’m really due to the coronavirus with all world number 10 Matteo Ber- brought his season to a halt. and the 25-year-old Australian Open crown when pleased with the way I started matches at Melbourne Park over rettini who never allowed the He opted not to travel for did not travel over- the year’s first Grand Slam be- the season. five days with US$7.5 million at Austrian to get going with his the US or French Opens, but seas for the US Open gins on Monday, was pushed “This is a great competition,” stake, rather than the multi-city big-swinging game. said at the weekend he was or the rescheduled hard before coming through 7-5, added Djokovic, who won all format employed in 2020. “I’m very happy obviously for mentally refreshed and excited French Open 7-5 against the hot shot Canadi- eight matches he contested en Nadal was due to face Aus- myself, but in this competition to be back. an on Rod Laver Arena route to the trophy last year. tralia’s Alex de Minaur in an we’re playing for a team, so it’s The Australian took time Djokovic showed no signs “We need more competitions evening Group B clash, but really nice,” Berrettini said. “I’m to get his groove back against body feels ok.” of being hindered by a nasty where we represent a team, rep- withdrew shortly beforehand really happy with my perfor- 209th-ranked Frenchman Now ranked 47, he will next blister on his racquet hand that resent our country.” with a back niggle. mance. Alexandre Muller, losing the play fellow Australian Harry troubled him at an Adelaide ex- On a cool day, big-serving “Hi all, we have decided with “Playing for your country is first set, then needing left knee Bourchier. hibition last week and returned Raonic got Canada off to a blis- Team Spain and my team, to something special.” treatment before knuckling The Murray River Open is 30 minutes later alongside Filip tering start, crushing Dusan not play today the first match of Berrettini was under pres- down to win 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) one of two ATP events being Frajinovic to play the decisive Lajovic 6-3, 6-4 in 79 minutes the ATP Cup here in Melbourne sure after Austria took the lead in the Murray River Open. run concurrently at Melbourne doubles rubber. to give his team a 1-0 lead, with since I have a stiff low back,” he in their Group C clash when “It was a tricky one, I haven’t Park ahead of next week’s Aus- The pair beat Shapovalov and the former world number three, tweeted. 100th-ranked Dennis Novak played a competitive match in tralian Open. Milos Raonic 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) as now ranked 15, dropping just Nadal, though, was in his earned one of the biggest wins about a year and I dealt with Two-time Australian Open defending champions Serbia eight points on serve while team corner courtside, jump- of his career, upsetting world a couple of injuries when in quarter-finalist Tennys Sand- took the Group A tie against sending down 11 aces. ing up and down, and said he number 17 Fabio Fognini 6-3, quarantine,” he said. gren was also in the winners’ Canada 2-1. It was left to Djokovic to level hoped to be fit by Thursday, 6-2. It sent the tie to a deciding “I was just excited to come circle, beating fellow Ameri- “It was a great opening of the the tie before clinching the dou- when Spain meet Greece. doubles with Thiem returning out here, any opponent for me can John-Patrick Smith 6-3, season. Playing Shapo is always bles rubber. In his absence, Spanish num- alongside Novak only to crash was going to be tricky, I just 5-7, 6-4 in the Great Ocean a great challenge on hardcourts, Serbia beat Nadal’s Spain in ber two Roberto Bautista Agut again, losing 6-1, 6-4 to Berret- wanted to find my feet. Road Open. he is such a dynamic, explosive the final of the inaugural and stepped up to face de Min- tini and Fognini. “I just somehow pulled it Sandgren saved 11 of the 15 player,” said Djokovic, who was hugely popular tournament last aur and rose to the challenge, Russia won the day’s other tie out of a hat, which seems to break points he faced to set fired up by playing in front of year in Sydney -- launched as a bouncing back from losing the against Argentina, with Daniil be the story of my career, so up a clash next up with Italian a smattering of noisy Serbian rival to the Davis Cup. opening set to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Medvedev and Andrey Rublev just happy to get through. The Salvatore Caruso. fans. It has been slimmed down Pablo Carreno Busta earlier both posting wins. Impressive Osaka and Barty make winning start in Melbourne AFP | Melbourne 6-2 in one hour and 43 minutes. forced errors.” After a tough opening victory The American was upset in shleigh Barty and Naomi over Jil Teichmann, the 16-year- the quarter-finals of the sea - AOsaka made successful re- This is one of my old American started strong- son-opening event in Abu Dha- turns after long layoffs yester- favourite places to play ly before fading in her second bi last month by Greece’s Maria day, fine-tuning their prepara- in the entire world, match in consecutive days. Sakkari, ranked 22. tions ahead of the Australian and for me to be able Kenin reeled off three straight Open. to come back after 11 Kenin goes through games to start the match before In the night match, world or 12 months off now- Earlier, defending Australian going off the boil as Giorgi went number one Barty showed little Open champion Sofia Kenin’s 4-3 ahead. rust to comfortably beat Ana it’s been a while, but I long-awaited return to Mel - Kenin regrouped before Giorgi Bogdan 6-3, 6-3 in the Yarra Val- miss this feeling, I miss bourne Park was brief after her called for medical attention at ley Classic. coming out here and Italian opponent Camila Giorgi the end of the set and retired. “I’ve missed coming out here competing retired injured after one set at The Moscow-born Kenin competing but I felt great to - ASHLEIGH BARTY the Yarra Valley Classic. emerged as a serious force in night,” she said. The 22-year-old was back at last year’s truncated circuit, also The Australian played her first won the Australian Open in 2019. the scene of her stunning break- reaching the French Open fi - tournament in 11 months after “But I’m really happy with through Grand Slam title last nal and rising to a career-high opting to remain home in rela- Ashleigh Barty hits a return how positive I was throughout year, where she beat Garbine fourth in the world rankings. She tively Covid-19 free Queensland the match.” Muguruza in three sets. plays fellow American Jessica during the pandemic and even sistent for the Romanian. The three-time Grand Slam It was an impressive perfor- But it was a short stay on Mar- Pegula next. decided against defending her The 24-year-old plays world champion hit 22 winners to mance from Osaka, who had few garet Court Arena with the 76th- French Open champion Iga French Open crown. number 52 Marie Bouzkova move into the third round of problems against Cornet in her ranked Giorgi retiring because Swiatek also emerged victori- Barty, hoping to break her next. the Gippsland Trophy with a 6-2, first encounter with the French of a thigh injury after Kenin ous after recovering from a slow country’s 43-year singles title Osaka made similarly light 6-2 victory in Melbourne.