The Spaniard’s next opponent will be German Yannick Hanfmann, who beat Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-2, 6-3, 6-2.
Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka impressed this Monday in Melbourne in their first game of the Australian Open, where the return of both to the circuit after several months of absence was eagerly awaited, on a day in which the German also qualified Alexander Zverev, third world player, Australian Ashleigh Barty, first seeded.
The Spanish and the Japanese had let us guess their good form in the preparation tournaments for the Grand Slam Australian: The former won the ATP 250 in Melbourne and the latter reached the semifinals of the WTA 250 in Melbourne before leaving with an abdominal injury.
Both confirmed this Monday their good form: in the absence of Novak Djokovic, who has won the last three editions and was expelled the day before in Australia, Nadal is a serious candidate to take the record for Grand Slam titles to 21 and Osaka, who has fallen to 14th place in the world, seeks to retain his title.
Rafael Nadal, the only Australian Open winner in the running in Melbourne after the expulsion of nine-time champion Djokovic, swept American Marcos Giron 6-1, 6-4, 6-2.
The match lasted 1 hour and 49 minutes (49 minutes for the second round), because the Spaniard committed some direct fouls (26), especially in that second set (17), which allowed Giron (N.66) to last longer in the ground.
His next opponent will be German Yannick Hanfmann, who beat Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-2, 6-3, 6-2.
For his part, Alexander Zverev, third player in the world, had to work hard for 2 hours and 38 minutes to beat his compatriot Daniel Altmaier (87th), 7-6 (7/3), 6-1, 7-6 (7/1).
In the women’s draw, Osaka easily beat Colombian Camila Osorio (50th), 6-3, 6-3.
Her game and her behavior on the court seem to prove that the depression that affected her last season is over.
For her part, the world number one, the Australian Ashleigh Barty easily defeated the Ukrainian Lesya Tsurenko, 6-0, 6-1. (D)
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