By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, January 14, 2019
In his 2019 debut, Rafael Nadal dispatched James Duckworth, 6-4, 6-3, 7-5, rolling into the Australian Open second round for the 13th time in 14 career appearances.
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
This Australian Open is all about comings and goings.
Days after Andy Murray announced his impending departure, Rafael Nadal showed staying power on Rod Laver Arena in his 2019 debut.
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A revved up Nadal repelled Aussie wild card James Duckworth, 6-4, 6-3, 7-5, rolling into the Australian Open second round for the 13th time in 14 career appearances down under.
It was Nadal's first Tour-level match since he hobbled off Arthur Ashe Stadium with a right knee injury pulling the plug on his US Open semifinal against Juan Martin del Potro after dropping the second set.
The victory vaults Nadal into a second-round meeting with either big-serving German Jan-Lennard Struff or Aussie Matt Ebden.
Wimbledon finalist Kevin Anderson smacked 14 aces and saved five of seven break points dispatching Adrian Mannarino, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1.
It is Anderson's first Melbourne win since 2015. The former US Open finalist fell to Kyle Edmund in five sets in the 2018 opening round.
The fifth-seeded South African will face American Frances Tiafoe in round two.
Tiafoe topped Indian qualifier Prajnesh Gunneswaran, 7-6 (7), 6-3, 6-3.
After undergoing off-season ankle surgery, Nadal looked fit, was quick off the mark and passed accurately against the physical Sydney-born serve-and-volleyer.
On a toasty afternoon, rallies were minimal with only one exchange out of 192 total points played exceeding nine shots.
Sporting a sleeveless tangerine top, Nadal strong-armed the Aussie with some whiplash passes.
The 32-year-old Spaniard snapped off 38 winners, including 18 passing shot winners.
“Not easy to come back after a lot of months especially against a player who is playing super agressive,” Nadal said. “It was difficult to be on rhythm. I’m very happy to be through, it’s always difficult to start after injuries. It’s so special to be back.”
It was a fast start as Nadal exploited a jittery opponent to break in the opening game, eventually extending to 3-1.
The 2009 champion made the break stand building a one-set lead.
Put yourself in Duckworth's shoes for a minute. You're winless in 12 prior lifetime matches vs. Top 20 opponents, foot surgery limited you to six tournaments last year causing your ranking to plummet to No. 238 and you're facing an opponent whose title total (80) nearly quadruples your career victory total (21).
The man nicknamed "Duck" wasn't just looking to tread water.
Credit Duckworth to committing to pure aggression and testing Nadal at times.
The Sydney native slid a drop volley and broke for a 2-0 second-set lead when Nadal nudged a running forehand into net. Duckworth had the momentum and major crowd support at that point, but Nadal snatched it right back breaking back from love-40 down with a forehand pass.
Nadal broke for 4-3 then saved a break point hitting behind Duckworth. Duckworth double faulted to end the second set.
Aiming to add sting to his first serve as he did during his run to the 2010 US Open, Nadal struck some flatter serves than he typically does in an effort to earn more cheap points on serve.
Rafa is a rhythm player empowered by putting combinations together. Duckworth denied the second seed the rhythm he craves, but the Roland Garros champion cranked crisp passing shots when he needed them.
A streak of orange on the blue canvas, Nadal slashed a forehand down the line for break point in the sixth game of the third set. Nadal caught up to a drop volley and flicked a forehand pass crosscourt celebrating with a furious fist pump breaking for 4-2 third-set lead.
Serving for the match at 5-3, Nadal stumbled.
Aiming to extend his time on the big stage, an energized Duckworth stabbed a full stretch forehand volley for triple break point.
Hammering a pair of backhands down the line, Duckworth broke back at love twirling an index finger in the air to exhort Aussie fans as he sprinted to his court-side seat.
Recalling the burly aggression of a young Andrew Ilie, Duckworth threw down four aces, off-setting an opening-point double fault, to level at 5-all.
Shrugging it off, Nadal slugged his way through the finish line.
Duckworth's 11th double fault gave Nadal double match point. Bending low, Nadal buried a backhand pass crosscourt closing a triumphant return in two hours, 15 minutes.
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and reigning champion Roger Federer, each playing for a record seventh Melbourne title, are the clear favorites among bookmakers.
Nadal, who has made the quarterfinals or better in 10 of his last 11 Melbourne appearances, says he's focusing on putting wins together.
"Everybody wants to win—that's the real thing even if they are the new generation, the old generation, the middle generation— everyone wants to win," Nadal said. "That's what makes the sport very competitive...
"It means we have been here such a very long time (and) hopefully not the end. I think (NextGen stars) have a lot of time to go they can wait one more year."
No. 20-seeded Grigor Dimitrov defeated Janko Tipsarevic, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-4, for just his second win in six meetings vs. the tattooed Serbian.
The 2017 Australian Open semifinalist will play Pablo Cuevas in round two after Cuevas defeated Serbian Dusan Lajovic, 6-4, 7-5, 6-1.