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Melbourne (AP) - Tennis star Rafael Nadal skips the start of the ATP Cup in Melbourne due to back problems.
He and his team had decided “not to play the first match of the ATP Cup here in Melbourne today because I have a stiff lower back.
Hopefully I'll be better on Thursday, ”wrote the world number two on Twitter.
Last year's finalist Spain starts the second edition of the top-class nation competition in the Rod Laver Arena against hosts Australia.
At the start, defending champion Serbia, led by world number one Novak Djokovic, won 2-1 against Canada in the Germany group.
After Dusan Lajovic's 3: 6, 4: 6 defeat against Milos Raonic, Djokovic, cheered on by thousands of fans, beat Denis Shapovalov 7: 5, 7: 5.
Djokovic / Filip Krajinovic won the final double with 7: 5, 7: 6 against Raonic / Shapovalov.
The German team around Alexander Zverev will have their first encounter on Wednesday against Canada.
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Austria with the world number three Dominic Thiem lost against Italy with 1: 2.
After Dennis Novak's 6: 3.6: 2 success against Fabio Fognini, Thiem lost to Matteo Berrettini 2: 6, 4: 6.
In doubles, Novak / Thiem lost against Berrettini / Fognini 1: 6, 4: 6.
The group winners of the four groups of three move into the semi-finals.
Last year, Serbia prevailed against Spain in the final.
Germany was eliminated in the group stage in 2020, also because Alexander Zverev had lost all three singles.
The Australian Open will start in Melbourne Park on February 8th.
Even there, despite the corona pandemic, up to 30,000 people should be able to watch the tennis elite every day.
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ATP Cup schedule, day 1
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