The Rafael deal

MELBOURNE, January 21

Rafa Nadal would love to add more silverware to a bursting trophy cabinet at the end of the Australian Open but says beating Roger Federer’s record of 20 Grand Slam titles would probably not make him any happier in the long run.

Top seed Nadal, one short of Federer’s 20 Major titles, opened his campaign at the Melbourne Park in style today, hammering unseeded Bolivian Hugo Dellien 6-2 6-3 6-0 at a sunbathed Rod Laver Arena. Nadal said he was only focused on Wednesday’s practice before his next match.

“If I am able to play at my highest level, normally I am able to produce some good chances. If not, impossible. So, I don’t care about 20 or 15 or 16 (Grand Slam titles). I just care about trying to keep going, keep enjoying my tennis career,” Nadal told reporters after setting up a clash with Federico Delbonis after he got the better of Joao Sousa in a 6-3 6-4 7-6(7) win.

Meanwhile, Fourth seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia held his nerve in a war of attrition against American Frances Tiafoe to register a 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-2 victory in the first round. “He’s a tough first round. Frances is really a great player,” Medvedev said after the match. — Reuters

Prajnesh loses, Djokovic face-off out of grasp

Melbourne: Prajnesh Gunneswaran missed out on a chance to compete against world No. 2 Novak Djokovic as he crashed out following defeat in men’s singles opening round, here today. Ranked 122, Prajnesh, who entered the main draw as a lucky loser in the qualifiers, lost 4-6 2-6 5-7 to Japanese wild card Tatsuma Ito, ranked 22 places below him in a rescheduled first round tie that lasted two hours and one minute.PTI

Other key results

Men: John Millman bt Ugo Humbert 7-6(3) 6-3 1-6 7-5, Stan Wawrinka bt Damir Dzumhur 7-5 6-7(4) 6-4 6-4, Fabio Fognini bt Reilly Opelka 3-6 6-7(3) 6-4 6-3 7-6(5)

Women: Garbine Muguruza bt Shelby Rogers 0-6 6-1 6-0, Zarina Diyas bt Amanda Anisimova 6-3 4-6 6-3, Madison Keys bt Daria Kasatkina 6-3 6-1, Johanna Konta bt Ons Jabeur 6-4 6-2, Angelique Kerber bt Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-2 6-2

DAY 2: HIGHLIGHTS

FIRED UP KYRGIOS

Home favourite Nick Kyrgios fired 14 aces and racked up 37 winners in an impressive 6-2 7-6(3) 7-6(1) win over Italian Lorenzo Sonego at the packed Melbourne Arena

ZVEREV ON TRACK

After three consecutive defeats at the ATP Cup, German Alexander Zverev finally got his 2020 campaign on track with a 6-4 7-6(4) 6-3 win over Italian Marco Cecchinato

HALEP TURNS IT AROUND

Romania’s Simona Halep came through a tight opening set where she saved three set points before beating American Jennifer Brady 7-6(5) 6-1

SHARAPOVA IN DILEMMA

Former champion Maria Sharapova said she was unsure if she would be back at the Australian Open next year after the wild card suffered a third successive first round exit at a Grand Slam following a 3-6 4-6 loss to Croatia’s Donna Vekic

PERFECT THIEM

Fifth seed Dominic Thiem maintained his 100% record against Adrian Mannarino, winning an eighth career meeting with the Frenchman 6-3 7-5 6-2 to progress

PLISKOVA GOES ON

Karolina Pliskova maintained her unbeaten start to the year with a 6-1 7-5 win over France’s Kristina Mladenovic. Belinda Bencic advanced with a 6-3 7-5 victory over Anna Karolina Schmiedlova

SETBACK FOR TSONGA

France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was forced to retire from his match against Alexei Popyrin due to a back injury while trailing 6-7(5) 6-2 6-1