Practising at the Australian Open, Alexander Zverev was sporting his nation’s Olympic garb, a yellow tank top emblazoned with ‘GERMANY’ and the familiar five interlocking rings.
“There’s no psychology behind it. I just feel very comfortable in this gear,” said Zverev, who upset World No. 1 Novak Djokovic on his way to earning the gold medal in Tokyo last summer. “I did have the biggest victory, the biggest tournament in the world that I won in this gear. It brings back incredible memories. I just wanted to have that feeling before the tournament starts here.”
The 24-year-old was addressing the press prior to the Australian Open, where he’s among the favourites. His achievement at the Summer Games was just one of an ATP Tour-best six titles in 2021, including Masters 1000 trophies in Madrid and Cincinnati, and the year-end Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. He arrived in Melbourne at No. 3 in the ATP Rankings more determined than ever to break through to his first major singles title and make a push at No. 1.
“You have to be playing your best tennis to give yourself a chance here,” said the 2020 semi-finalist, who will take on countryman Daniel Altmaier in the first round in Margaret Court Arena when play gets underway on Monday at Melbourne Park.
Joining Zverev in Day 1 action will be 2009 titlist Rafael Nadal, whose quest for a record-breaking 21st major singles title will begin with a first-time meeting with former UCLA standout Marcos Giron in Rod Laver Arena. The Mallorcan has wasted little time putting an injury-dampened 2021 behind him.
The way he played at the Melbourne Summer Set last week, denying serve-and-volleyer Maxime Cressy 7-6(6), 6-3, to earn the 89th title of his career, you would never guess he was limited to just 29 matches last year due to left foot woes.
“I came here just with the clear goal to be back on the Tour,” said the World No. 6, who has now won at least one tour-level title every year dating back to 2004. “That’s the most important thing. Then, if I am able to win matches, to improve every single day, fantastic, no? But the main thing is to be back. I’m excited about playing again in a Grand Slam here in Australia.”
When it comes to injuries and comebacks, Gael Monfils can relate. Things were going swimmingly for the Frenchman in the spring of 2020. After a three-year absence, a stretch peppered with a laundry list of knee (left and right), back, wrist, hamstring and Achilles setbacks, Monfils had played his way back into the Top 10 in the ATP Rankings. He was off to the best start of his career, 16-3 on the year with early-season titles in Montpellier and Rotterdam. Indian Wells was on tap and the 33-year-old was feeling downright resurgent.
Then came the pandemic.
“We are just human. The pandemic hit me quite bad, even in my personal life,” said Monfils last week at the Adelaide International 1, where he captured the 11th title of his career, his first in two COVID-19-marred years. “I just didn’t feel right. It was tough. I was struggling. Of course, you know you’re an athlete, you play in front of the world. It’s tough to battle with your own personal problems that way. It was tough for me. I just have to keep fighting.
“I just want to get back on top of the game.”
Now 35 and a married man (he tied the knot with WTA star Elina Svitolina last summer), Monfils is hoping for some return to normalcy in 2022. An uninterrupted, week-in/week-out string of matches, and more results like the one he posted in Adelaide, would surely do wonders to build his confidence.
Monfils, now ranked No. 19, credited his wife, the other half of #gemslife, with helping him through the rough patches.
“Last year was very tough for me,” he said. “I almost, I don’t want to say quit, but I lost my faith in tennis and everything. But Elina was there and always caring.”
Monfils will carry his recaptured momentum into the Australian Open, where he’ll look to top his best showing: his quarter-final finish of 2016.
“The goal is to keep all this confidence to bring it into next week,” said Monfils, who for the second straight Slam will open against Argentine Federico Coria in the first round. “To be ready to try to compete for a big AO.”
Spurred by his emotional run to the championship on home turf at the Adelaide International 2, the first title of his injury-plagued career, wild card Thanasi Kokkinakis will kick off his Australian Open campaign against qualifier Yannick Hanfmann of Germany.
Also riding high after a lead-up title is Russia’s Aslan Karatsev, who on Saturday topped Scot Andy Murray in the Sydney Tennis Classic final, 6-3, 6-2. The 18th seed will face Jaume Munar of Spain. It was a year ago that Karatsev introduced himself to the tennis world at large in Australia. He was a member of the ATP Cup-winning Team Russia, and ranked No. 114 powered his way to his first Grand Slam semi-final, summarily upending the likes of Diego Schwartzman, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Grigor Dimitrov in the process.
Elsewhere, Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini of Italy, the No. 7 seed, finds himself matched against American Brandon Nakashima; Indian Wells winner Cameron Norrie of Great Britain, the 12th seed, meets American Sebastian Korda; and 31st seed Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, who last year stunned Stefanos Tsitsipas en route to his first major quarter-final at the US Open, is pitted against Chilean qualifier Alejandro Tabilo.
No. 14 seed Denis Shapovalov of Canada, who only days ago helped lead his compatriots to the ATP Cup title, takes on Serbia’s Laslo Djere. The foes faced each other last year on clay in Geneva, with Shapovalov winning in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.
“There’s no psychology behind it. I just feel very comfortable in this gear,” said Zverev, who upset World No. 1 Novak Djokovic on his way to earning the gold medal in Tokyo last summer. “I did have the biggest victory, the biggest tournament in the world that I won in this gear. It brings back incredible memories. I just wanted to have that feeling before the tournament starts here.”
The 24-year-old was addressing the press prior to the Australian Open, where he’s among the favourites. His achievement at the Summer Games was just one of an ATP Tour-best six titles in 2021, including Masters 1000 trophies in Madrid and Cincinnati, and the year-end Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. He arrived in Melbourne at No. 3 in the ATP Rankings more determined than ever to break through to his first major singles title and make a push at No. 1.
“You have to be playing your best tennis to give yourself a chance here,” said the 2020 semi-finalist, who will take on countryman Daniel Altmaier in the first round in Margaret Court Arena when play gets underway on Monday at Melbourne Park.
Joining Zverev in Day 1 action will be 2009 titlist Rafael Nadal, whose quest for a record-breaking 21st major singles title will begin with a first-time meeting with former UCLA standout Marcos Giron in Rod Laver Arena. The Mallorcan has wasted little time putting an injury-dampened 2021 behind him.
The way he played at the Melbourne Summer Set last week, denying serve-and-volleyer Maxime Cressy 7-6(6), 6-3, to earn the 89th title of his career, you would never guess he was limited to just 29 matches last year due to left foot woes.
“I came here just with the clear goal to be back on the Tour,” said the World No. 6, who has now won at least one tour-level title every year dating back to 2004. “That’s the most important thing. Then, if I am able to win matches, to improve every single day, fantastic, no? But the main thing is to be back. I’m excited about playing again in a Grand Slam here in Australia.”
When it comes to injuries and comebacks, Gael Monfils can relate. Things were going swimmingly for the Frenchman in the spring of 2020. After a three-year absence, a stretch peppered with a laundry list of knee (left and right), back, wrist, hamstring and Achilles setbacks, Monfils had played his way back into the Top 10 in the ATP Rankings. He was off to the best start of his career, 16-3 on the year with early-season titles in Montpellier and Rotterdam. Indian Wells was on tap and the 33-year-old was feeling downright resurgent.
Then came the pandemic.
“We are just human. The pandemic hit me quite bad, even in my personal life,” said Monfils last week at the Adelaide International 1, where he captured the 11th title of his career, his first in two COVID-19-marred years. “I just didn’t feel right. It was tough. I was struggling. Of course, you know you’re an athlete, you play in front of the world. It’s tough to battle with your own personal problems that way. It was tough for me. I just have to keep fighting.
“I just want to get back on top of the game.”
Now 35 and a married man (he tied the knot with WTA star Elina Svitolina last summer), Monfils is hoping for some return to normalcy in 2022. An uninterrupted, week-in/week-out string of matches, and more results like the one he posted in Adelaide, would surely do wonders to build his confidence.
Monfils, now ranked No. 19, credited his wife, the other half of #gemslife, with helping him through the rough patches.
“Last year was very tough for me,” he said. “I almost, I don’t want to say quit, but I lost my faith in tennis and everything. But Elina was there and always caring.”
Monfils will carry his recaptured momentum into the Australian Open, where he’ll look to top his best showing: his quarter-final finish of 2016.
“The goal is to keep all this confidence to bring it into next week,” said Monfils, who for the second straight Slam will open against Argentine Federico Coria in the first round. “To be ready to try to compete for a big AO.”
Spurred by his emotional run to the championship on home turf at the Adelaide International 2, the first title of his injury-plagued career, wild card Thanasi Kokkinakis will kick off his Australian Open campaign against qualifier Yannick Hanfmann of Germany.
Also riding high after a lead-up title is Russia’s Aslan Karatsev, who on Saturday topped Scot Andy Murray in the Sydney Tennis Classic final, 6-3, 6-2. The 18th seed will face Jaume Munar of Spain. It was a year ago that Karatsev introduced himself to the tennis world at large in Australia. He was a member of the ATP Cup-winning Team Russia, and ranked No. 114 powered his way to his first Grand Slam semi-final, summarily upending the likes of Diego Schwartzman, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Grigor Dimitrov in the process.
Elsewhere, Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini of Italy, the No. 7 seed, finds himself matched against American Brandon Nakashima; Indian Wells winner Cameron Norrie of Great Britain, the 12th seed, meets American Sebastian Korda; and 31st seed Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, who last year stunned Stefanos Tsitsipas en route to his first major quarter-final at the US Open, is pitted against Chilean qualifier Alejandro Tabilo.
No. 14 seed Denis Shapovalov of Canada, who only days ago helped lead his compatriots to the ATP Cup title, takes on Serbia’s Laslo Djere. The foes faced each other last year on clay in Geneva, with Shapovalov winning in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.