Oscar Otte lost his opening match against a 17-year-old
What: AFP/PAUL CROCK
The German tennis pros have made a terrible start to the Australia Open. All six starters from Monday were eliminated in the first round. Oscar Otte, who lost to a 17-year-old qualifier, was extremely self-critical.
Trough faces at the “Happy Slam”: At the start of the Australian Open, the first German starters caused a sobering mood on Monday. The tennis professionals Oscar Otte, Daniel Altmaier, Yannick Hanfmann, Jule Niemeier, Tamara Korpatsch and Eva Lys all suffered first-round defeats.
Wimbledon quarter-finalist Niemeier missed a surprise. Despite a good performance, the 23-year-old lost to the Polish world number one Iga Swiatek 4: 6, 5: 7. That was “a real test” for Swiatek, said national coach Barbara Rittner at Eurosport, and Niemeier “did it really well”. As in the round of 16 of the US Open last September, the Dortmund player demanded everything from the Pole in the Rod Laver Arena.
Basketball icon Dirk Nowitzki, who was a decent tennis player in his youth, also followed Niemeier’s first appearance in the main draw of the Australian Open in the stands. On Tuesday, Olympic champion Alexander Zverev will take part in the competition for the first time – probably again with “Edelfan” Nowitzki as support in the stands.
There was bad news for the organizers on Monday: local hero Nick Kyrgios had to cancel his start due to a meniscus injury. “It’s brutal,” said the Wimbledon quarter-finalist, who was considered one of the biggest advertisers for the “Happy Slam” in Melbourne Park. After all, the Spanish defending champion Rafael Nadal prevented an early exit with a 7: 5, 2: 6, 6: 4, 6: 1 against the British Jack Draper.
Meanwhile, Otte was hard on himself. “I felt like I was on the pitch like a garbage can and just couldn’t manage to play a reasonable return with my backhand,” said the Davis Cup player after the deserved 2: 6, 4: 6, 7: 6 ( 7-2), 5-7 loss at Melbourne Park on Monday to qualifier Shang Juncheng. Otte couldn’t find a match against the only 17-year-old Chinese from the start. “It’s just crazy what happened today.”
“Worked to the point of puking”
Otte was also so disappointed because he had worked “to the point of throwing up” in preparation for the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. “The fact that tennis and the head are not there is frustrating,” said the 29-year-old. The sport is “sometimes really corrosive, but I still love it and keep at it”.
And the others? After a two-set lead against the wildcard holder Rinky Hijikata, Hanfmann already looked like the sure winner, but the Australian, inspired by the frenetic crowd, turned the game after 4:25 hours into a 4:6, 4:6, 6:3 , 7:6 (7:5) and 6:3. Altmaier put number 16 seeded American Frances Tiafoe under great pressure from the third set, but in the end had to win 3: 6, 3: 6, 7: 6 (7: 5), 6: 7 (6: 8) give up. “He fought incredibly,” Tiafoe praised the German afterwards.
Eva Lys collapsed after the first sentence
Quelle: Getty Images/Mackenzie Sweetnam
Lys was “disappointed” after beating Spanish qualifier Cristina Bucsa 6-2, 0-6, 2-6 because she had completely lost her rhythm in the second set. After winning the first set, the head cinema began in the main field debutant. That’s when she “really realized what was happening. It’s a dream for me to play here in the main draw,” said the 21-year-old from Hamburg: “I was very excited.” The native Ukrainian also had to have her right wrist treated in the second set.
Korpatsch has lost the first round of all four Grand Slam tournaments with the expected 3: 6, 2: 6 against former US Open winner Emma Raducanu from Great Britain.
Nowitzki supports Zverev
On Tuesday (4.30 a.m. CET) Zverev is the focus. Despite his long compulsory break due to a foot injury in the French Open semi-finals, the Hamburg player is the clear favorite in a duel with Peruvian qualifier Juan Pablo Varillas. He only saw the clay court specialist play once, Zverev revealed: “I have to look at myself and see that I get in shape. So every opponent is very important to me.”
Zverev is hoping for the support of basketball icon Nowitzki, who hit a few balls with Zverev at Melbourne Park last week and apparently wants to watch the game live on site. “He told me he will be there Monday and Tuesday. I think he will also be there for my match,” said Zverev in an interview with the Eurosport broadcaster.
In addition to Zverev, three other German players are hoping to advance to the second round on Tuesday. Jan-Lennard Struff is only an outsider after successfully qualifying against the American Tommy Paul. In the women’s category, Wimbledon semi-finalist Tatjana Maria is up against Italy’s Lucrezia Stefanini, and Laura Siegemund is up against Lucia Bronzetti from Italy.
