‘Vulnerable’ Rafael Nadal Criticizes Australian Open Ball Quality Ahead Of Title Defence  - UBITENNIS
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‘Vulnerable’ Rafael Nadal Criticizes Australian Open Ball Quality Ahead Of Title Defence 

The top seed also admits his first round match at Melbourne Park will be a ‘big challenge’ for him. 

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Rafael Nadal of Team Spain during practice ahead of the 2023 United Cup at Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre in Sydney on Wednesday, December 28, 2022. - Tennis Australia/ ATP, PETER STAPLES

Rafael Nadal says that there is no question that the balls used at this year’s Australian Open are of a lower quality than the ones used last year. 

The 22-time Grand Slam champion didn’t hold back when asked about the Dunlop tennis balls during his pre-tournament press conference. Speaking to the media, Nadal said they lose their pressure after a couple of hits and he finds it harder to generate any spin from them. These balls were also used in Nadal’s matches played at the United Cup earlier this month. 

“They say it is the same, but the ball is worse quality, without a doubt. We can’t talk about that any more. It’s what we have. We need to play with it.” The bemused Spaniard commented. 
“I think it’s a ball that doesn’t get the same spin as usual. After a couple of hits, the ball loses the pressure. It’s more difficult to hit with the right spin.”
“But I think it’s easier to play when you play flatter on the shots. I need to live with it. I think I practiced enough with the ball to be ready for it.”

The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam to use Dunlop balls. Wilson balls are used at both the French Open and US Open. Meanwhile, Wimbledon has Slazenger.

Nadal is yet to win a Tour match in 2023 after suffering back-to-back defeats to Alex de Minaur and Cameron Norrie at the United Cup. More recently, he also lost a practice match against Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz that took place on Thursday. 

The world No.2 recently stated that he was cautiously optimistic about his form heading into the first Grand Slam of the season where he is the defending champion. However, speaking candidly on Saturday Nadal admitted that he will be vulnerable at the start of the tournament where he is the top seed. 

“I need to build again all this momentum. I need to build again this confidence with myself with victories. But it’s true that I have been losing more than usual,” he said. 
“I didn’t play that bad the first two matches of the year. I lost against two great opponents, but I also had very positive chances to win both matches.’
“I don’t know what can happen on Monday, but my personal feeling, without a doubt, is better now than three weeks ago, in general terms.”

Nadal’s first round opponent at Melbourne Park will be British rising star Jack Draper who reached the semi-finals of the Adelaide International before losing to eventual champion Soonwoo Kwon. The 21-year-old has risen more than 200 places in the ATP rankings over the past 12 months to 40th in the world and has recorded two wins over top 10 players. Draper has beaten Stefanos Tsitsipas and Felix Auger-Aliassime. 

“(It’s) probably one of the toughest first round (matches) possible, being seeded. He’s young, powerful, growing very, very fast on the ranking, playing well,” Nadal commented.
“A big challenge for me at the beginning to start the tournament. I know he’s playing well. He has a lot of positive things, and probably a great career in front.” He added. 

Despite being the most decorated male singles player in Grand Slam history, outside of the French Open Nadal is yet to win the same major event two years in a row. He will begin his Australian Open campaign against Draper on Monday. 

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Danil Medvedev could meet Jannik Sinner in the semifinal at the Miami Open

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The Miami Open Main Draw ceremony was held on Monday afternoon. 

Danil Medvedev could face Jannik Sinner in the semifinal of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami in a possible re-match of this year’s Australian Open. Both Medvedev and Sinner have been placed in the bottom half of the draw. 

Medvedev is aiming to win the same tournament twice for the first time. The Russian player beat Sinner in the final of last year’s Miami Open. 

Medvedev will start his campaign against either Max Purcell or Marton Fucsovics in the second round. Medvedev could face either Ugo Humbert or Sebastian Baez in a potential fourth round clash. Humbert won two titles in Marseille and Dubai this year. Baez also claimed two trophies in Santiago and Rio de Janeiro this year. 

Medvedev is projected to face either 2022 Miami finalist Casper Ruud or Taylor Fritz in the quarter final. 

Jannik Sinner will take on either Pedro Cachin or a qualifier. The 22-year-old Italian player could face a fourth round match Tommy Paul, who lost to Medvedev in the semifinal of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. 

Sinner is seeded to play against either Hubert Hurkacz or Andrey Rublev. Hurkacz beat Sinner in the Miami Open final in 2021. Stefanos Tsitsipas and Frances Tiafoe are the other players who have been drawn in this quarter. This section of the draw also feature two blockbuster first round matches: Andy Murray vs Matteo Berrettini and Arthur Fils vs Matteo Arnaldi. 

Carlos Alcaraz is aiming to become the first player to complete the “Sunshine Double” since Roger Federer in 2017. Alcaraz beat Sinner in the semifinal and Medvedev in the final at last week’s Indian Wells Masters 1000 tournament. Top seed Alcaraz has been drawn on the opposite side from number 3 Danil Medvedev. 

As both Sinner and Medvedev are in the bottom half and could go head-to-head in the semifinal if they reach this stage, Alcaraz can face only one of those two rivals. 

Alcaraz will face either Alexander Vukic or Roberto Carballes Baena in the second round. The Spaniard could face a blockbuster fourth round match against Ben Shelton, who is the second best US player in the ATP Ranking behind Taylor Fritz. Alcaraz beat Shelton in their only head-to-head match in Toronto last year. Shelton was beaten by Sinner 7-6 6-1 in Indian Wells last week. The US player will face either Los Cabos champion Jordan Thompson or Nino Borges, who beat Matteo Berrettini in the final of the Challenger Tour in Phoenix last week. 

Alcaraz is projected to face a semifinal clash against 2021 Olympic champion Alexander Zverev. 

Zverev, who reached the final in Miami in 2018, will face Felix Auger Aliassime or a qualifier. Zverev’s section of the draw features Holger Rune, two-time Acapulco champion Alex De Minaur, this year’s Doha champion Karen Khachanov, Indian Wells quarter finalist Jiri lehecka, Francisco Cerundolo, who reached the semifinal in 2022 and the quarter final in 2023 in his past two editions of the Miami Open, and unseeded players Kei Nishikori, Lorenzo Sonego and Fabian Maroszan. 

Nishikori, who reached the Miami Open final in 2016, will play his come-back match against Sebastian Ofner. The Japanese player has not played since the Atlanta Open last July due to injury. 

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Nuno Borges beats Matteo Berrettini to win his second consecutive title at the Arizona Classic in Phoenix

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Nuno Borges battled past 2021 Wimbledon champion Matteo Berrettini 7-5 7-6 (7-4) to win his second consecutive title at the Arizona Classic in Phoenix, an ATP Challenger Tour 175 title. 

Borges won 78% of his first serve points in the final and sealed the win on his third match point. 

Berrettini earned an early break to open up a 2-0 lead. Borges broke back at love in the eighth game to draw level to 4-4. Borges saved a break point in the ninth game before breaking serve to 30 in the 12th game to seal the first set 7-5.  

Borges broke serve in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead in the eighth game with a double fault from Berrettini earning his chance to serve for the match. Berrettini broke straight back for 4-5 and saved a match point in the 11th game. 

Berrettini did not convert two break points in the 11th game. The Italian player saved a match point with a service winner. Berrettini went up a 3-0 lead, but Borges won seven of the next eight points and sealed the win on his third match point, as Berrettini hit his forehand into the net. 

“I could not believe it. I still can’t believe it. It’s an amazing week. I started the week with not the greatest practices. I was not feeling my best. Then I started getting confidence throughout the tournament with the matches and really just impressed myself with how I dealt with all the adversity. One night finishing past midnight. Just stayed really hungry, motivated and pushed myself. I stayed really hungry, motivated and pushed myself. I stayed positive all throughout and all the hard work I put in the week. I am just surprised and happy I am able to celebrate another title here. I am cloud nine”, said Borges. 

Berrettini who was making his come-back following a six-match injury line-off. 

“I thank all fans, who came to support me. It was a crazy week. I did not achieve the result that I would have wanted, but I am happy that I have come back. It was a very tough match. Nuno Borges is playing well. He deserved the win”, said Berrettini. 

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Iga Swiatek is aiming to complete the Sunshine Double for the second time in her career

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The Main Draw of the 2024 Miami Open was unveiled on Sunday. The singles draw features 96 players and the top 32 seeds receive first-round byes. The Miami Open will be held at the Hard Rock Stadium from 19 to 31 March. 

World number 1 Iga Swiatek is aiming to become the second player to complete the Sunshine Double twice after beating Maria Sakkari 6-4 6-0 in the Indian Wells final on Sunday. Swiatek won Indian Wells and Miami back-to-back sweeping the Sunshine Double. Stefanie Graf was the other player, who was able to win the Sunshine Double twice in 1994 and 1996. 

Swiatek won two WTA 1000 titles in Doha and Indian Wells this year and holds a 20-2 record this year. The Polish player won her second Indian Wells trophy without dropping a set in the whole tournament against Danielle Collins in the Round of 64, Linda Noskova in the Round of 32, Yulia Putintseva in the Round of 16, Caroline Wozniacki in the quarter finals, Marta Kostyuk in the semifinal and Maria Sakkari in the final. 

Swiatek will make her debut at the Miami Open against either Magdalena Frech or Camila Giorgi in the second round. The Polish could face Czech rising star Linda Noskova in the third round for the second consecutive Sunshine Double tournament. Noskova beat Swiatek in the third round at the Australian Open. Swiatek avenged his defeat by beating Noskova in Indian Wells. 

Swiatek could meet world number 14 Ekaterina Alexandrova in the fourth round. Alexandrova has been drawn in a tough section which includes Karolina Pliskova, Donna Vekic, Anastasya Pavlyuchenkova and Czech teenager Linda Fruhuvirtova. Pliskova will take on Vekic in the opening round. Pliskova made her successful come-back by winning her first title since 2020 in Cluj Napoca. 

Swiatek is projected to face a potential quarter final match against Jessica Pegula, who won the doubles title with Coco Gauff and reached the semifinal in the singles tournament at last year’s edition of the Miami Open. Pegula started the 2024 season with a win-loss record of 5-3 and is still chasing her first final this year. 

Pegula could meet Leylah Fernandez in the third round and either Jasmine Paolini or Emma Navarro in the fourth round. Paolini won her first WTA 1000 title in Dubai and reached the Round of 16 at last January’s Australian Open. Navarro won in Hobart, reached the semifinals in Auckland and in San Diego and lost to eventual finalist Maria Sakkari in Indian Wells this year.  Navarro will face either Martina Trevisan or a qualifier. 

Coco Gauff leads the second quarter of the draw. The 20-year-old US player will start her campaign against either Ashlyn Krueger or a qualifier and could meet this year’s Indian Wells semifinalist Marta Kostyuk and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the round of 16. Gauff won her first Grand Slam at the 2023 US Open and reached the semifinal at last year’s Australian Open. Gauff lost to eventual finalist Maria Sakkari in the Indian Wells semifinal last week.

Osaka will open her campaign against Elisabetta Cocciaretto, who won the WTA 125 in Charleston last week. The Japanese player could play against 16th seed Elina Svitolina in the second round and Caroline Garcia in the third round. Osaka leads 2-1 in her career head-to-head matches against Garcia and have drawn 1-1 this year. Garcia beat Osaka 6-4 7-6 (7-2) at the 2024 Australian Open, but the Japanese player avenged this defeat by defeating her French rival at the Qatar Open in Doha.

Sixth seed Ons Jabeur and Daria Kasatkina are the top 10 seeds in the second quarter. 

Jabeur could face either Indian Wells Anastasia Potapova or former Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins, and either 10th seed Daria Kasatkina or Sorana Cirstea. 

This section of the draw features a first round match against former Grand Slam champions 2018 Miami Open champion Sloane Stephens and Angelique Kerber. Stephens leads 5-2 in her seven head-to-head matches against Kerber. 

Elena Rybakina leads the line-up in the third quarter. The 2023 Indian Wells champion was not able to defend her title last week due to illness. The Kazah player will face either Caroline Dolehide or a qualifier in the first round. The 2022 Wimbledon champion could meet Elise Mertens in the third round and Veronika Kudemertova or Madison Keys in the round of 16. Wild card Venus Williams, who won the Miami Open for the first time in 1998, will take on this year’s Thailand Open champion and last week’s Charleston finalist Diana Schnaider in the first round. The winner of this match will face Keys in the second round.  

Maria Sakkari from Greece has been drawn at the other end of this quarter. Sakkari, who lost the Indian Wells final against Swiatek last Sunday, will face Yue Yuan (winner at the Atlanta Open and Indian Wells quarter finalist) or Anna Blinkova, who won the longest tie-break in a Grand Slam tournament against Rybakina at last January’s Australian Open. Sakkari is projected to face this year’s Australian Open semifinalist Dayana Yastremska in the third round and this year’s Dubai WTA 1000 finalist Anna Kalinskaya. 

Emma Raducanu, who won the US Open title in 2021, will take on China’s Xiyu Wang in the first round. The winner of this match will face Kalinskaya. 

Number 2 seed and two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka will face the winner of the first round match between former number 2 Paula Badosa (winner at Indian Wells in 2021) and former world number 1 Simona Halep, who is playing her first tournament since the 2022 US Open. Halep leads 2-0 in her head-to-head matches against Badosa and never dropped more than three games in a set. 

If Sabalenka beats the winner of the match between Halep and Badosa, she could face Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina. The Ukrainian player could meet either Caroline Wozniaki or France’s Clara Burel. 

Sabalenka is projected to face a fourth round match between either Liudmila Samsonova or Barbora Krejcikova and Qinwen Zheng in the quarter final, which could be a re-match of this year’s Australian Open. Zheng could face former world 1 Victoria Azarenka in the third round and Beatriz Haddad Maia and Katie Boulter in the round of 16. 

Petra Kvitova, who beat Rybakina in last year’s final of the Miami Open, will miss this year’s decision because she in a maternity leave. 

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