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MELBOURNE – A philosophical Naomi Osaka said yesterday she “is not God” and cannot always win after the defending champion was knocked out of the Australian Open tennis tournament in the third round by unseeded Amanda Anisimova.
The Japanese four-time Grand Slam champion won the first set on Margaret Court Arena but the nerveless American saved two match points in the third to pull off a huge 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (10/5) upset.
Osaka was making her return to Grand Slam tennis after a long break following a tearful third-round exit at the US Open in September, the culmination of a difficult year where she was plagued by doubt and said she suffered depression. She said ahead of the Australian Open that her goal for 2022 was to have more fun and she attempted to remain upbeat even after her title defence came to a premature end.
“I fought for every point, I can’t be sad about that,” the former world No 1, who was seeded 13th, said.
“You know, I’m not God. I can’t win every match.
“So I just have to take that into account and know that it would be nice to win the tournament, that’s really special, and I can’t think of myself to try to win the Grand Slam at the start of the year every time.
“I feel like I grew a lot in this match. The last match that I played in New York (US Open) I think I had a completely different attitude, so of course, I lost, but I’m happy with how it went.”
Defeat to Anisimova deprived the 24-year-old of a shot at world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty in the fourth round.
But the new Osaka was relaxed about the missed opportunity and said she was just happy for the 20-year-old American – while admitting she would be staying off social media to avoid getting caught up in negative headlines.
“It’s always a tennis match, you know what I mean?” she said.
“I feel like the outside stuff comes after. But it’s funny, the first thing that I’ll probably do when I look at my phone is delete Instagram and Twitter, and then I probably won’t re-download it for a couple of weeks.
“To me, it’s exciting. Not the loss itself, but the person I lost to because it’s showing the growth of tennis.
“I feel like now I’m in this position where if I lose to someone, it might make a headline, but I also think it kind of grows more superstars, and I feel that’s good for the game.”
Meanwhile, World No. 3 Alexander Zverev said yesterday that he needs to play even better if he wants to go far at the Australian Open, as the German chases a maiden major crown.
Zverev powered his way into the last 16 with a superb serving display against Moldova’s Radu Albot, winning 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in 1hr 57min in hot conditions.
The Tokyo Olympic gold medallist thundered down 16 aces to put away the 124th-ranked Albot on John Cain Arena.
Zverev will next take on Canada’s 14th seed Denis Shapovalov, whom he leads 4-2 in their series of matches.
“I think from the back of the court I’m playing quite okay,” Zverev, 24, said.
“Today was just very different. It was a lot hotter. The balls were flying a lot more. That’s why maybe I was doing a few more mistakes than usual.” Zverev is yet to drop a set as he shapes up for a possible quarterfinal showdown with 20-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal.
“I’m through the first week without losing a set. I think that’s always very positive,” he said.
“I feel I still have plenty of energy, which is good for me going into the next matches.
“The next opponents, next matches will get tougher. I’m looking forward to that, and I think I will need to play same way or even better.”
Albot, the only Moldovan man or woman to contest a Grand Slam, equalled his best performance at a major by reaching the third round. 0But Albot found the power and range of Zverev too much to handle as the German clocked 44 winners to his 14.
“I think Radu is in great form, he’s played five matches so far, so he is obviously playing well, feeling the ball well,” said Zverev, into the second week at Melbourne Park for the fourth year in a row.
“I am happy to be through in three sets.”
Zverev has long been talked about as the next superstar of men’s tennis, but he is yet to win a Grand Slam, his best showing at a major, losing the 2020 US Open final to Dominic Thiem.
Italian seventh seed Matteo Berrettini fought off exciting Spanish youngster Carlos Alcaraz and the effects of a heavy tumble to win a fifth-set tiebreaker and advance to the fourth round of the Australian Open on Friday.
Berrettini, a Wimbledon finalist last year, used all of his experience to down the 18-year-old Alcaraz – the youngest man in the draw – 6-2, 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 2-6, 7-6 (10/5) in 4hr 10min on Rod Laver Arena.
Berrettini will now face Spanish 19th seed Pablo Carreno Busta in the round of 16.-AFP
Berrettini rolled his right ankle in the second game of the final set but continued on after receiving treatment from the physio. His movement did not appear to be significantly restricted.
“I’m good. Luckily it wasn’t a big one. I’m used to this,” Berrettini said later.
Reflecting on almost letting slip his two-set lead, Berrettini said: “I felt confident, and that momentum was on my side in the third set but then I got broken.
“My energy wasn’t right in the fourth set and in the fifth set I just started to fight for every point. In every match something happens (like the ankle) but I fought through it.”
Of his fourth round opponent, Berrettini said: “He’s a really solid player. Pablo’s playing good. He likes to play here in Australia. He likes to play on hard courts.”
The Italian paid tribute to the enormous potential of the 31st-ranked Alcaraz, who has been compared to famous compatriot Rafael Nadal at the same age.
“He’s unbelievable. I think at his age I didn’t even have an ATP (ranking) point,” Berrettini said.
“He’s impressive, he can only improve playing matches like this. He showed everybody his potential, luckily today I won, but congratulations to him.”
Alcaraz, who is coached by former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, said he was getting closer to the game’s elite.
“When I’ve played against the top players, apart from Rafa (Nadal), I was close,” said Alcaraz, who reached the US Open quarterfinals last year.
“I think I have the level to play against the top players. I’m getting close, getting closer every tournament I play.”
Serbia’s 77th-ranked Miomir Kecmanovic emerged as a big winner from the Novak Djokovic saga – and capitalised on his good fortune by reaching the fourth round.
Kecmanovic was drawn to play compatriot and world No 1 Djokovic in the first round, but after the defending champion was deported, found himself instead facing lucky loser Salvatore Caruso.
He easily beat the Italian, and has been winning ever since.
Kecmanovic knocked out another Italian, 25th seed Lorenzo Sonego, 6-4, 6-7 (8/10), 6-2, 7-5 to win through to the round of 16 for the first time and will face French 17th seed Gael Monfils.
Kecmanovic’s lucky break in Melbourne has already netted him $A300 000 (US$215 000) in prize money and 180 ranking points.
“It’s unbelievable. A week ago I was supposed to play the world No 1 and didn’t have much of a chance there, but now I’m in the last 16,” the 22-year-old Kecmanovic said.
“I’m so happy that I was able to use this second chance and that I’ve been playing some really good tennis. I just wanted to use it the best that I can.”
Kecmanovic said he had not been in contact with compatriot Djokovic, who is back in Serbia after his deportation over his anti-vaccination status.
“I think he’s still recovering from everything and I didn’t really want to bother him. Give him his space. I’ll definitely talk to him eventually after things calm down,” he said.
Sixth seed Rafael Nadal dropped his first set of this year’s Australian Open but still powered through to the fourth round with a 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-1 defeat of Karen Khachanov on Friday.
The Spaniard, seeking to claim a record 21st Grand Slam title in the absence of great rivals Roger Federer and Djokovic, was sensational as he took a two-set lead.
But Khachanov, seeded 28th, threw caution to the wind in the third set, stalling Nadal’s charge with some ferocious hitting.
Olympic runner-up Khachanov had lost all seven previous meetings with 2009 Australian Open champion Nadal but briefly looked capable of mounting a comeback.
Nadal seized back control with a break of serve at the start of the fourth, however, and with the clock having ticked past midnight on Rod Laver Arena he finished it off in a hurry.
Nadal, who has reached the last-16 in Melbourne for the 15th time in 17 appearances, will face another Russian, 18th seed Aslan Karatsev, or Frenchman Adrian Mannarino next.
“I played a great player tonight and happy that this was my best match since coming back,” the 35-year-old Nadal, who missed the second half of 2021 with a foot injury, said on court.
“I’ve been going through some tough times in the last year but night’s like tonight mean everything.”
With Federer still injured and nine-time Australian Open champion Djokovic deported after a visa row, Nadal has a chance to edge ahead of that duo with whom he shares the record for most men’s Grand Slam titles.
After routine wins against 66th-ranked American Marcos Giron and German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann in rounds one and two, Khachanov represented a step up in class for Nadal despite the Russian having only ever won one set off the Mallorcan.
Nadal was primed though and won 12 of the first 13 points to stamp his authority all over the court.
Khachanov had no answer to Nadal’s intensity and managed to win only one point on Nadal’s serve in the opening set.
Nadal broke serve at the start of the second set but Khachanov won an incredible point in the fourth game, picking himself off the floor to crunch a backhand winner and then winning another incredible rally to earn a break point.
He could not convert that and Nadal immediately broke in the next game on his way to a two-set lead.
Khachanov began to hit closer to the lines and with more menace in the third set, which he took after breaking Nadal’s serve for the first time for a 3-1 lead.
Nadal simply found another gear though, firing a stunning backhand winner to break Khachanov’s serve, and spirit, in the second game of the fourth set.
Online Reporter