Rafael Nadal - The matador impresses in his recent comeback
Rafael Nadal has confidently advanced to the third round at the Australian Open 2022. The Spaniard's participation in the first major of the year was not certain for a long time.
by Jörg Allmeroth
last edit: Jan 19, 2022, 11:34 am
Yannick Hanfmann had long since disappeared into the catacombs of the Rod Laver Arena when his conqueror Rafael Nadal (35) once again presented himself as an absolute gentleman. "Very dangerous" was this Hanfmann, "a man with hard hits, a good serve and huge potential," Nadal explained in a sweaty lightning interview on Center Court: "He plays much better than his ranking says." Then Nadal also packed his stuff together, the classy and resurgent 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 second-round winners whose Melbourne mission has just really begun and gathered momentum. TV expert Boris Becker was categorical in the opinion of those who didn't have the 35-year-old Spaniard on the list of titles at this Australian Open, "he doesn't understand anything about tennis. He's here to take the pot."
Gloomy perspective for Federer
Which, at the same time, would be anything but a matter of course. Because in these first days of 2022, Nadal is working on who knows how many comebacks in his legendary career, which is also accompanied by constant worry about injuries. In August, the brawny Mallorquin declared the already bumpy 2021 season to be a bend, when a complicated foot injury forced him to withdraw. Retirement speculation circulated during the months of Nadal's absence, but just before Christmas he returned to business for a show tournament in Abu Dhabi. He then caught a corona infection there, in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, and suffered “quite badly” from the virus for a few days – but at the start of the new game series he finally reported to the baseline on time and ready to serve . "Rafa is back," rejoiced Melbourne's "Herald Sun" when the almost indestructible Spaniard was spotted on the courts of the National Tennis Center.
At the opening Grand Slam in tour operations, he is now the only active cup winner in the competition in 2022. Roger Federer , his eternal opponent and friend, is sentenced to watching at home in Switzerland after several knee operations, and a return to the tennis business seems uncertain. Novak Djokovic's fate is well known, the nine-time Melbourne champion was in Australia but not tolerated by the authorities. And Stan Wawrinka, the sensational winner of 2014, is also not involved in the current Grand Slam festivals, he is injured on the sidelines, the Swiss press recently called him a "phantom." That leaves Nadal, who is the only one of the elders and mega-stars has to deal with the younger and youngest - and also with his body, which constantly causes him "certain pain". "I've lived with pain my whole career," says Nadal, "I've learned to live with it. But sometimes it is hard.”
Nadal not a gym guy
Nadal won the Australian Open once, in 2009 in a dramatic five-set final against permanent rival Federer. What seemed utopian a few weeks ago could now become reality in Melbourne or later in the course of the season - namely that the recovered, fit Nadal is the first of the Big Three to win the 21st Grand Slam title and with it Djokovic and Federer (currently as Nadal 20) points to the places. Without vaccination, Djokovic might be in front of closed doors at the upcoming Grand Slams, Federer's perspective is bleak.
In Melbourne, Nadal's way is still a long way to the final, even to the title. But the Mallorcan, hastily written off again, has handled the complicated start-up phase of the season's first major with flying colors, typically becoming harder to knock out as the competition progresses. Incidentally, Nadal was also allowed to claim the saying of the day for himself on Wednesday - after the Center Court work against Hanfmann, it was when ex-champion Jim Courier, in the role of the interviewer, asked him about the reasons for his fitness. Nadal returned briefly: "I play golf." Courier's puzzled look caused a strange postscript from the matador: "I'm not a type for the gym or weight room."
Here is the individual tableau at the Australian Open 2022
laver arena