Nadal, on alert before the Australian Open draw is full of traps

Rafael Nadal continues his set-up in Melbourne. The Spaniard is working hard this week at the Australian Open facilities to tackle his title defense with guarantees.

The two defeats in the last United Cup, against Cameron Norrie and Alex de Minaur, has raised some doubts about his choices in the first Grand Slam of the season, although he seems unconcerned. “The truth is, these past few months I haven’t been able to compete much, and that’s it Losing both games in Sydney is not the best way to reach a Grand Slam, but to be honest, I’m not happy with the preparation I did.” he said in a media appearance at an event held this Tuesday.

The challenge is difficult for the Spanish player, who will face a raffle full of traps as the first seed where problems may arise from the first rounds.

And it is that from the beginning it can be paired with players of the stature of Maxime Cressy, Andy Murray, Lorenzo Sonego, Fabio Fognini, John Isner and Aslan Karatsevthough the danger comes from the third round.

That’s where the seeds from 17th to 32nd place come in, with names like Denis Shapovalov, Borna Coric or the Australians Alex de Minaur and Nick Kyrgios.

He is already in the round of 16, he can now cross paths with Jannik Sinner, Matteo Berrettini, Alexander Zverev, Cameron Norrie or his executioner in the last US Open, Frances Tiafoe, among others, while Daniil Medvedev stands the biggest danger before the quarterfinals.

And all this with Novak Djokovic on the horizon facing a potentially bank-breaking semifinal. Chances of meeting the Serbian in the penultimate round are 50%, with Stefanos Tsitsipas another option, while Casper Ruud (2) will not meet for sure before the final.

So, a road full of obstacles that will begin to be defined this Thursday in a draw that will count, in addition to Nadal, with Pablo Carreño, Roberto Bautista, Alejandro Davidovich, Albert Ramos, Pedro Martínez, Jaume Munar, Bernabé Zapata and Roberto Carballés as representatives of Spanish tennis.

unknown Muguruza

In the female category, and in the absence of completion of the previous phase, Three (Paula Badosa, Garbiñe Muguruza and Nuria Párrizas) are Spaniards who will participate in the Australian Open 2023. The Catalan (11th) will be the only seed in a tournament where the Caracas native hopes to get back on the winning track.

After a 2022 to forget, the former world number 1 started the season with two losses in the first round that doesn’t invite optimism, especially considering that his unseeded status could match him with any top player in the first round.

Iga Swiatek starts as the first seed and a heavy favorite to lift one of the few tournaments he still doesn’t have on his brilliant record.

Australian Open 2023

bones (male)

1. Rafael Nadal (ESP)
2.Casper Ruud (NOR)

3. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)
4. Novak Djokovic (SRB)

5. Andrey Rublev (RUS)
6. Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN)
7. Daniel Medvedev (RUS)
8.Taylor Fritz (USA)

9.Holger Rune (DEN)
10. Hubert Hurkacz (POL)
11. Cameron Norrie (GBR)
12. Alexander Zverev (GER)
13. Matteo Berrettini (ITA)
14. Pablo Carreno (ESP)
15. Jannik Sinner (ITA)
16. Frances Tiafoe (USA)

17. Lorenzo Musetti (ITA)
18. Karen Khachanov (RUS)
19. Nick Kyrgios (AUS)
20. Denis Shapovalov (CAN)
21. Borna Coric (CRO)
22. Alex de Minaur (AUS)
23. Diego Schwartzman (ARG)
24. Roberto Bautista (ESP)
25. Dan Evans (GBR)
26. Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB)
27. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL)
28. Francisco Cerundolo (ARG)
29. Sebastian Korda (USA)
30. Alejandro Davidovich (ESP)
31. Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN)
32. Apothecary van de Zandschulp

Australian Open 2023

seed (female)

1. Iga Swiatek (POL)
2. Ons Jabeur (TUN)

3. Jessica Pegula (USA)
4. Caroline Garcia (FRA)

5. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR)
6. Maria Sakkari (GRE)
7. Coco Gauff (USA)
8. Daria Kasatkina (RUS)

9. Veronika Kudermetova (RUS)
10. Madison Keys (USA)
11. Paula Badosa (ESP)
12. Belinda Bencic (SUI)
13. Danielle Collins (USA)
14. Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA)
15. Petra Kvitova (CZE)
16. Anett Kontaveit (EST)

17. Jelena Ostapenko (LAT)
18. Lyudmila Samsonova (RUS)
19. Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS)
20. Barbora Krejcikova (CZE)
21. Martina Trevisan (ITA)
22. Elena Rybakina (KAZ)
23. Zhang Shuai (CHN)
24. Victoria Azarenka (BLR)
25. Marie Bouzkova (CZE)
26. Elise Mertens (BEL)
27. Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU)
28 Amanda Anisimova (USA)
29. Zheng Qinwen (CHN)
30. Karolina Pliskova (CZE)
31. Kaia Kanepi (EST)
32. Jil Teichmann (SUI)