January 15, 2023, 4:10 AM
January 15, 2023, 4:10 AM
Bolivian Hugo Dellien debuts on Sunday against Frenchman Enzo Couacaud in the first round of the Australian Open. Dellien, 29, has a better position in the ATP rankings than Couacaud, 27, 132nd against 190º. In earnings, the man from Beni surpasses his adversary: $1,554,024 in thirteen seasons, withAgainst 836,576 achieved by the European in ten years. The rest of the Latin Americans competing are the Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas, the Chileans Nicolás Jarry and Cristian Garín, the Mexican Ernesto Escobedo and the Colombian Daniel Galán.
The stars Rafa Nadal, the man with the most Grand Slams in history, and Novak Djokovic, nine times champion in Melbourne, they seek to enlarge their legend in the Australian Open, although they will have to stifler the incipient revolution of the young talents of the circuit.
Although the prince of this new batch of talents, world number one Carlos Alcaraz, will be out due to injury, there are many aspirants to end the tyranny of the so-called “Big Three”: Nadal, Djokovic and the now retired Roger Federer.
It may be time for Norwegian Casper Ruud, world number 2 and finalist at Roland Garros and New York, but they are also lurking the Danish Holger Rune, the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime or the Italian Jack Sinner. But since 2006, only the Swiss Stan Wawrinka in 2014 was able to question the dominance of Federer, Nadal and especially Djokovic in Australia, who returns to his favorite tournament. The 36-year-old man from Manacor not only defends the title he won epically the previous year, but also the record of 22 Grand Slams, which Djokovic would equal if he won in Australia. However, the Spaniard admitted to feeling “vulnerable”, having gone on a losing streak of just one win in the last seven matches.
In addition, in the first round he had one of the most difficult crosses for the seeded teams, the young and powerful British Jack Draper. By contrast, the 35-year-old Serb arrives in Melbourne full of joy: winner of the ATP Finals and the previous tournament in Adelaide, euphoric to return to the rebelt where he keeps “the best memories” of his career. Djokovic debuts on Tuesday against the Spanish Roberto Carballés.
