MELBOURNE/WASHINGTON, January 18, 2022 (by Michael Dickens)
Great Britain’s Andy Murray has been a five-time finalist in the Australian Open. He has history in the year’s first major going back to 2006. The last time he played in Melbourne in 2019, he was in tears and looking at the possibility of retirement due to a increasingly painful hip.
Today, Andy Murray plays at the Australian Open for the first time since that premature retirement tribute video after his first-round loss to Roberto Bautista Agut in 2019. Note his comments just before the video played. https://t.co/qs5CN8xfWb pic.twitter.com/qtFpGg9NZn
— Nick Zaccardi (@nzaccardi) January 17, 2022
On Tuesday, the 113th-ranked Murray, who received a wild card to play in this year’s event, took court for his first match at Melbourne Park since 2019. In the third match of the day on John Cain Arena, the Briton faced Georgia’s 21st-seeded Nikoloz Basilashvili for the second time in a week. He won 6-1, 3-6, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-4 in three hours and 52 minutes of play to advance against 120th-ranked Japanese qualifier Taro Daniel.
Locked in for the @australianopen #BackTheBrits 🇬🇧 | @andy_murray pic.twitter.com/uZWvC4e0qH
— LTA (@the_LTA) January 17, 2022
“It is amazing [to be back],” Murray said in during his on-court interview that followed his victory. “It has been a tough three, four years. I have put a lot of work to be back here and I have played on this court many times and the atmosphere has been incredible. I have always had fantastic support and this is the court I thought I potentially played my last match on. But it is good to be back, winning a five-set battle like that. I could not ask for any more.”
Murray magic ✨@andy_murray outlasts Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-1, 3-6, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-4 after nearly four hours of tennis!#AusOpen · #AO2022
🎥: @wwos · @espn · @Eurosport · @wowowtennis pic.twitter.com/lr9xMN8f9M
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 18, 2022
Last week at the Sydney Tennis Classic, Murray prevailed and went on to reach his first ATP tour-level in more than two years, falling to No. 1 seed Aslan Karatsev in the final. Murray also won the pair’s only other previous meeting at Wimbledon last year. He has been playing virtually non-stop since last fall’s US Open and has shown signs of regaining his old form now that he has gone through hip surgery and rehabilitation.
Against Basilashvili, Murray stood to make a bit of history with a third victory. He was aiming for his 49th match-win at the Australian Open, which would give him sole possession of fifth place on the all-time list for most victories in Melbourne in the Open Era (since 1968), and put him ahead of Andre Agassi and Ivan Lendl.
An upset to kick off Day Two
For the second year in a row, Sorana Cirstea upset Petra Kvitova at the Australian Open. The 38th-ranked Romanian beat the 20th-seeded and two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova from the Czech Republic, 6-2, 6-2, Tuesday afternoon on John Cain Arena.
Déjà vu @sorana_cirstea defeats Kvitova in Melbourne for the second straight year.#AusOpen • #AO2022 pic.twitter.com/iLf0vpucp2
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 18, 2022
Among the other early Day Two winners:
Men – No. 5 seed Andrey Rublev of Russia advanced over Gianluca Mager of Italy, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2; 13 seed Diego Schwartzman of Argentina defeated Filip Krajinovic of Serbia, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5; No. 15 seed Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain, beat Stefanos Travaglia of Italy, 7-6 (2), 6-4, 5-7, 6-1; and No. 27 Marin Cilic of Croatia eliminated qualifier Emilio Gomez of Ecuador, 6-3, 6-1, 6-2.
Ruthless from Rublev 😲 @andreyrublev97 hammers 31 winners to just 13 errors in dispatching Gianluca Mager 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.#AusOpen • #AO2022
🎥: @wwos · @espn · @Eurosport · @wowowtennis pic.twitter.com/0EIzvK02yK— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 18, 2022
Women – No. 6 seed Anett Kontaveit of Estonia defeated Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic, 6-2, 6-3; No. 7 Iga Swiatek of Poland advanced over qualifier Harriet Dart of Great Britain, 6-3, 6-0; No. 19 Elise Mertens of Belgium bested Vera Zvonareva of Russia, 6-4, 7-5; and No. 31 seed Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic defeated Australian wild card Priscilla Hon, 6-2, 6-3.
Job done ✅
🇵🇱 @iga_swiatek reels off 11 straight games to seal a first round victory over Harriet Dart 6-3 6-0. The No.7 seed faces Sweden’s Rebecca Peterson next. #AusOpen • #AO2022
🎥: @wwos · @espn · @Eurosport · @wowowtennis pic.twitter.com/AnkzO8Y1PL— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 18, 2022
Tuesday’s Australian Open results
Wednesday’s Australian Open order of play
Difficulty ahead for Djokovic if he remains unvaccinated
On Monday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, in answering a question from a reporter on whether current World No. 1 Novak Djokovic would be allowed to enter Spain to compete after being deported from Australia for being unvaccinated against COVID-19, said: “Any sportsperson who wishes to compete in our country must comply with the health rules of Spain.”
Djokovic has to comply with rules to go to Spain, PM says https://t.co/H180HBHAd6 pic.twitter.com/O2ELsyzuUl
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 18, 2022
Evert shares details of her treatment for ovarian cancer on ESPN
On Monday evening in the United States, Hall of Fame great and long-time ESPN tennis analyst Chris Evert made her debut on the network’s Australian Open TV coverage.
Chrissie Evert making her ESPN debut at the 2022 #AusOpen sharing the details of her treatment and the BRCA gene mutation that helped catch her ovarian cancer.
“If this battle is anything like the battle you’ve had with your opponents, this cancer has no chance.”- John McEnroe♥️ pic.twitter.com/DxCfiVPIdL
— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) January 17, 2022
What they’re writing
• The Age: Djokovic’s absence does not put an asterisk on the men’s title
Rafael Nadal said the Australian Open would be better with Novak Djokovic in it, but players rejected the notion that this year’s men’s title would be diminished by his controversial absence.#AusOpen #NovakDjokovic https://t.co/y1g9CqhYP2
— The Age (@theage) January 17, 2022
• The Washington Post: Novak Djokovic is driven by an obsession, but that always has a cost
Novak Djokovic is driven by an obsession, but that always has a cost
Read Sally Jenkins: https://t.co/UByCtJnKwR
— Post Sports (@PostSports) January 17, 2022
• The New York Times: After Quarantine, Keeping Up the Korda Family Tradition
Sebastian Korda, a major American talent, shrugs off Covid and lack of match play to pull another upset. The Korda family continues to thrive on Australian tennis courts (and golf courses). By @BenRothenberg https://t.co/WqAUnsVu4c
— Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) January 17, 2022
• Tennis.com: The tarnished legacy of Novak Djokovic
Australia didn’t want Novak Djokovic to play the #AusOpen on an exemption.
But Djokovic seemed unable to read the handwriting on the wall any more than he was capable of owning the trail of boneheaded decisions and ghastly miscalculations that led to his downfall.
From @ptbodo:
— TENNIS (@Tennis) January 17, 2022
What they’re podcasting
• The Tennis Podcast: Nadal, Barty, Badosa soothe our souls
NEW POD!
AO Day 1 – Nadal, Badosa, Barty soothe our souls
Apple – https://t.co/8yB0IIyH0i
Spotify – https://t.co/c8N0ebkGpb
Download – https://t.co/79ClR6xHaB #AusOpen
— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) January 17, 2022
• No Challenges Remaining: Djokovic’s Deportation Debacle Is Done
New NCR!
Listener favorite @paulsakkal returns to wrap up the second half of the Djokovic deportation drama.
Why did the government change strategies so drastically? What precedents does this set? Will Tennis Australia be held accountable?
Listen:https://t.co/AhOaCezYVo
— No Challenges Remaining (@NCR_Tennis) January 17, 2022
By the numbers
• World No. 3 Garbiñe Muguruza made her 101st Australian Open main draw appearance when she faced France’s 77th-ranked Clara Burrel on Tuesday. The No. 3 seed Muguruza, who has never lost a first-round appearance at Melbourne Park going back to 2013, defeated the 20-year-old Burel, 6-3, 6-4 to advance to the second round against No. 61 Alizé Cornet of France, who beat 118th-ranked Bulgarian qualifier Viktoriya Tomova.
Happy 1⃣0⃣th #AusOpen appearance @GarbiMuguruza 🥳
The No.3 seed maintains her perfect first-round win record at Melbourne Park, defeating Burel 6-3 6-4. #AO2022 pic.twitter.com/teFdU0sQe2
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 18, 2022
“I am aware, I am aware,” Muguzura said, sharing a hint of laugher during her on-court interview when she was asked if she was aware she had a perfect streak of winning all of her first-round matches in the Australian Open. “I am so motivated here … you are so nervous when everybody can beat everyone, so very happy I managed to finish it off.”
• Rafael Nadal is attempting to become just the second man after Novak Djokovic to win all four majors at least twice. Nadal is also trying to become the third man in the Open Era (since 1968) to win the Australian Open after turning 35, following Ken Rosewall and Roger Federer.
• Former Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber won her first Grand Slam at Melbourne in 2016. She is one of eight active players to win more than 100 matches at the majors.
“Quotable …”
“Obviously you want to win. If you play tennis or any sport, you’re competitive. I couldn’t have done this for this long if I wasn’t competitive. But first and foremost, I want to go out there, enjoy myself, play well, be free, swing. If I want to hit, go for that winner down the line, I’m going to do it. I think it’s about playing and enjoying that moment and soaking it all up.”
AUSSIE, AUSSIE, AUSSIE 🇦🇺
An emotional @bambamsam30 extends her final #AusOpen singles campaign with a 6-7(5) 6-3 6-3 win over Robin Anderson.#AO2022 pic.twitter.com/1LWaTtK3w1
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 18, 2022
– Samantha Stosur, 37, of Australia, former World No. 4 now ranked 487th, who is playing her final singles draw at the Australian Open.
On Tuesday, Stosur beat Robin Anderson of the United States, 6-7, 6-3, 6-3, with 12 aces and 36 winners, to advance to the second round. After the Australian Open, Stosur will continue to play doubles where she’s ranked No. 15. Stosur won the 2011 US Open singles title.
