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TENNIS-AUS-OPEN-MEN,POINTS
Five men to watch at the Australian Open tennis
MELBOURNE, Jan 14, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Five players to watch in the men’s
draw at the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the season,
which starts on Monday:
– Novak Djokovic –
Much like the changeable weather, the superb Serb’s success in Melbourne
is almost a given. Djokovic is going for a record-extending eighth title
after making his Grand Slam breakthrough on the azure courts way back in
2008.
Djokovic, who has now amassed 16 major tournament wins, thrashed his old
sparring partner Rafael Nadal in last year’s final to kick off another
phenomenal year where he won his fifth Wimbledon title and collected five
tournament victories to take his career tally to 77.
Now 32 and ranked world number two, nobody is betting against ‘Nole’
putting together a similar season this year.
– Roger Federer –
Crowd favourite Federer is rapidly becoming the oldest swinger in town but
even at 38, he still has the tools to add to his all-time record of 20 Grand
Slam titles.
At this stage in his career, retirement talk is never far away but there
are few signs Federer will call a halt this year, when he will look to fill
the only gap in his trophy cabinet — Olympic singles gold.
Like Djokovic, Federer also has a liking for Melbourne Park, winning two
of the last three men’s singles titles, and he will hope to bounce back from
last year’s chastening fourth-round defeat to Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, who
is 17 years his junior.
– Rafael Nadal –
Top-ranked Nadal, so often Federer’s nemesis, can deliver the ultimate
slap to the great Swiss by equalling his 20 Major titles in Melbourne.
The Mallorcan, now the first man to be world number one in three different
decades, won the 2009 final against a tearful Federer but that remains his
best showing in Australia, with four runner-up finishes to his name.
Nadal, 33, has been the gallant loser in two of the last three deciders
but it would be just like the indomitable Spaniard to hit back with a long-
awaited second Australian Open title on February 2.
– Stefanos Tsitsipas –
Greece has never had a player like Tsitsipas and expectations are high for
the 21-year-old, who stunned Federer last year en route to the Melbourne
semi-finals.
The 1.93m (6ft 4in) Tsitsipas had quite the season in 2019, lifting his
second, third and fourth ATP trophies and beating Dominic Thiem to win the
ATP Finals.
Apart from his Melbourne run, however, Tsitsipas wasn’t such a threat at
Grand Slams, as he was a first-round loser at Wimbledon and the US Open and
fell to Stan Wawrinka in the fourth round at Roland Garros.
Now Tsitsipas needs to show he can take the next step this season — and
break the Big Three’s stranglehold on the Major titles.
– Nick Kyrgios –
When Kyrgios plays, controversy is never far away and there is no doubt
that the combustible Canberran will provide some fireworks at Melbourne Park.
Kyrgios is possessed of a huge forehand and serve — when he’s not serving
underarm — but by general consensus, he needs to curb his sparring with
umpires, fans and fellow players if he is to threaten at his home Grand Slam.
Kyrgios, 24, is also playing under a suspended 16-week ban, meaning the
consequences will be severe if he lets his temper get the better of him.
BSS/AFP/BZC/1100HRS