Nadal casts aside injury doubts with dominant win
MELBOURNE: Rafael Nadal says he has no doubts over a knee injury as he destroyed his opening round opponent at the Australian Open yesterday.
The world No.1, a beaten finalist to Roger Federer in Melbourne last year, clinically took apart Victor Estrella Burgos of the Dominican Republic 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 in 94 minutes in a night match on Rod Laver Arena.
The Spaniard will play Leonardo Mayer of Argentina in the second round.
Nadal, who is gunning for a 17th major title, was hampered by a knee injury at the tail-end of the 2017 season.
It forced him to skip the lead-up Brisbane International this month, and he only had a one-match workout at the exhibition Kooyong Classic in Melbourne ahead of the open.
But he said his troublesome right knee felt absolutely fine during his rout of Estrella Burgos.
“It’s feeling good,” Nadal said. “If I did not feel myself ready I would not be here.
“I am happy to be here and happy to be on court again.
“I always have doubts, but at the same time I have confidence that I was ready to start the tournament and that was the case.”
Nadal, who wore no protective strapping on his knee, left nothing to chance with eight service breaks and 28 winners in a complete first-up performance.
It took the 31-year-old Spaniard’s Australian Open record to 52-11 as he chases his second Australian title after beating Federer in the 2009 final.
“It’s a positive start with a good result. If I do months without playing official match it’s always a little bit more difficult,” he said.
“But I started with positive feelings. That’s most important thing for me now.
“Of course, there are things to improve. But the thing that I need to improve, the matches will give me those things. Victories are the most important thing now.”
Nadal needs to reach the quarter-finals to be certain of retaining his world No.1 ranking after the event, with Federer breathing down his neck.
The top seed only conceded three games in the match and had few problems with Estrella Burgos.
Men’s singles
Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) bt Andreas Haider-Maurer (AUT) 7-6 (7/3), 6-3, 6-4
Pablo Carreno-Busta (ESP x10) bt Jason Kubler (AUS) 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1
Kyle Edmund (GBR) bt Kevin Anderson (RSA x11) 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
Matthew Ebden (AUS) bt John Isner (USA x16) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x3) bt Dennis Novak (AUT) 6-3, 6-2, 6-1
Andrey Rublev (RUS x30) bt David Ferrer (ESP) 7-5, 6-7 (6/8), 6-2, 6-7 (6/8), 6-2
Denis Shapovalov (CAN) bt Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5)
Marin Cilic (CRO x6) bt Vasek Pospisil (CAN) 6-2, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5)
Nick Kyrgios (AUS x17) bt Rogerio Dutra Silva (BRA) 6-1, 6-2, 6-4
Rafael Nadal (ESP x1) bt Víctor Estrella (DOM) 6-1, 6-1, 6-1
Yuichi Sugita (JPN) bt Jack Sock (USA x8) 6-1, 7-6 (7/4), 5-7, 6-3
Ruben Bemelmans (BEL) bt Lucas Pouille (FRA x18) 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (8/6)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA x15) bt Kevin King (USA) 6-4, 6-4, 6-1
Women’s singles
Jelena Ostapenko (LAT x7) bt Francesca Schiavone (ITA) 6-1, 6-4
Julia Goerges (GER x12) bt Sofia Kenin (USA) 6-4, 6-4 Zhang Shuai (CHN) bt Sloane Stephens (USA x13) 2-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-2
Belinda Bencic (SUI) bt Venus Williams (USA x5) 6-3, 7-5 Timea Babos (HUN) bt Coco Vandeweghe (USA x10) 7-6 (7/4), 6-2
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS x15) bt Kateryna Kozlova (UKR) 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
Luksika Kumkhum (THA) bt Johanna Larsson (SWE) 6-3, 7-5
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x2) bt Mihaela Buzarnescu (ROM) 6-2, 6-3
Elina Svitolina (UKR x4) bt Ivana Jorovic (SRB) 6-3, 6-2