Nadal to gear up for Oz Open at Kooyong
LONDON: World number one Rafael Nadal will step up his Australian Open preparations by featuring at the Kooyong Classic in Melbourne.
Nadal has been under an injury cloud for this month’s Australian Open after withdrawing from the Brisbane International due to an ongoing knee complaint. However, the 16-time Grand Slam champion will play a match at Kooyong for the first time on Tuesday.
The 31-year-old, who lost to Roger Federer in last year’s Australian Open final at Melbourne Park, is set to join former world number one Novak Djokovic at the warm-up tournament.
“Rafa was looking for matchplay and of course we were more than happy to oblige,” said tournament director Peter Johnston.
“The addition of both Novak and Rafa changes our schedule and the way we will run the four days but that’s what Kooyong is all about, we are here to help the players get ready for the Open.
KYRGIOS WINS BRISBANE TITLE
BRISBANE:Nick Kyrgios clinched his maiden tour title on home soil in a big confidence boost ahead of the Australian Open, beating Ryan Harrison 6-4, 6-2 in the Brisbane International final on Sunday.
Carrying a niggling knee injury, Kyrgios made a rusty start and was forced to save five break points before he carved out his first break in the seventh game. The 22-year-old claimed the first set before taking control of the match after his American opponent dropped his serve at the start of the second set with a frustrating double fault.
Kyrgios, ranked 21 in the world, broke big-serving Harrison again in a sublime second set display to close out the match and seal his fourth career title.
MAKAROVA STUNS OSTAPENKO
SYDNEY: Ekaterina Makarova kept cool in the fierce Australian heat to upset the French Open champion and world number seven Jelena Ostapenko 7-6(3) 6-1 in the opening round of the Sydney International on Sunday.
Makarova, who reached the Australian Open semi-finals after stunning Serena Williams three years ago, rode an early break for a 5-3 lead and, even though her Latvian opponent got back to 5-5, raced away with the first set tiebreak.
Third seed Ostapenko, who also lost her opening match in Shenzhen last week, put up a fierce fight at the start of the second set but faded after losing her first service game and Makarova moved on to face Barbora Strycova or Daria Kasatkina.
“It was first match of the season so of course I was nervous at the beginning,” said Makarova.