Australian Open: Nadal’s triumph, Osaka’s comeback and Daniel Altmaier’s incredible point

The first day of the Australian Open left expected results, with triumphs for the favorites and few surprises. But among the curiosities, there was a fantastic point, which the German Daniel Altmaier beat his compatriot Alexander Zverev (3rd). It was, without a doubt, the image of the day, and it surprised many, for a regulatory alternative not very well known.

Zverev won without major problems, 7-6 (3), 6-1 and 7-6 (1), but it was his rival who got all the flashes for a very unusual action. Altmaier, number 87 in the world ranking, from the back of the court attempted a passing shot over his opponent’s backhand. Zverev answered with an overshoot drop that went too high and allowed his compatriot to recover.

The ball, after hitting the Altmaier field, did a rare reverse effect and returned to Zverev’s court. With little room to manoeuvre, the 23-year-old, he crossed his arm over the net (and without touching it at any time), managed to touch the ball with the frame of his racket to win the point.

The play aroused some regulatory doubts on social networks, but it is completely valid. No player could anticipate and hit the ball on the other side of the net to answer a direct shot from his opponent. But in cases in which the ball -after hitting- returns to the rival field due to an effect, it is allowed that the player can answer from the other side, provided that he does not touch the net with his body or with the racket.

Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka They impressed this Monday in Melbourne in their first match of the Australian Open, where the return of both to the circuit after several months of absence was eagerly awaited. The Spaniard and the Japanese had revealed their good form in the preparation tournaments for the Australian Grand Slam: the former won the ATP 250 in Melbourne and the latter reached the semifinals of the WTA 250 in Melbourne before leaving due to an abdominal injury. .

Both confirmed their good form on Monday: in the absence of Novak Djokovic, who has won the last three editions and was expelled the day before in Australia, Nadal is a serious candidate to take the record for Grand Slam titles to 21 and Osaka, who has fallen to 14th place in the world, seeks to revalidate his title.

Rafael Nadal, the only winner of the Australian Open in Melbourne, swept American Marcos Giron 6-1, 6-4, 6-2. “I play better and better,” congratulated the 35-year-old Spaniard, number six in the world, who had a foot injury last year and is just recovering from covid-19, which he contracted in December.

The Spaniard seeks to win his 21st Grand Slam title in Melbourne and beat the record he shares with the Serbian Novak Djokovic and the Swiss Roger Federer.

”It is difficult to say where I am in terms of my best level. You have to go day by day, accept that everything doesn’t always go well and stay positive to play with good energy and work”, he added.

The match lasted 1 hour and 49 minutes (49 minutes for the second round), because the Spaniard committed some direct fouls (26), especially in that second set (17), which allowed Giron (No. 66) to last longer in the ground.

Powerful, effective, mobile, Nadal seems well recovered from the injury that forced him to end his 2021 season in early August, and from the coronavirus infection that left him “very sick”. His next opponent will be German Yannick Hanfmann, who beat Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-2, 6-3, 6-2.

For her part, Osaka easily beat Colombian Camila Osorio (50th), 6-3, 6-3. Her game and her behavior on the court seem to prove that the depression that affected her last season is over.

“It’s only the first round and what I retain is not the victory but my state of mind,” he said. ”I am here because I want to be and because I have fun. I am aware that I should enjoy myself while I can”, said the 24-year-old player with four major titles (2019 and 2021 Australian Open, 2018 and 2020 US Open).

For her part, the world number one, Australian Ashleigh Barty easily defeated Ukrainian Lesya Tsurenko, 6-0, 6-1.