There are two ways to look at

Rafael Nadal's

first week

at the Australian Open.

From the side, he is one of the five players who is clean in the round of 16, without giving up a single set.

Dimitrov

,

Karatsev

,

Auger-Aliassime

and

Rublev

have done it too.

From another perspective, the question remains of how he will respond from now on, with a qualitative leap that begins tomorrow with

Fabio Fognini

, 16th seed.

The world number two, champion of the tournament in 2009 and a four-time finalist, dispatched

Cameron Norrie

6-2, 7-5 and 6-2, with a few more curve than in his matches against

Laslo Djere

and

Michael Mmoh

, but without face too winding a road.

His victory contrasts, however, with the sufferings of Novak Djokovic, first seed, defending champion and eight-time champion,

Dominic Thiem

, finalist in 2020 and last winner of the United States Open, and

Daniil Medvedev

, fifth among the favorites. .

They all needed to consume all five sets.

In

Nole's

case

, temporarily safe from an injury to his right side that could jeopardize his future in the tournament.

As is known, Nadal is not exempt from physical problems either.

After beating Mmoh, he raised the alarm, worried about the null favorable evolution in the lower back area, which already prevented him from competing in the ATP Cup. According to some information, he had been infiltrated on Friday in the lumbar area, with positive results , according to his words after winning Norrie.

“My back didn't improve with each passing day.

He's only done it today [for this Saturday].

I have felt it better.

It was the first day that I felt a progression in my back and this is the most important thing for me, more than anything else ».

Readiness deficit

The anomalous nature of the last part of the preseason, with tennis players in quarantine, forced to limit training sessions and, in some cases, without even being able to exercise, has increased the risks of injury.

Djokovic did not train this Saturday after the mountain that became his meeting with Taylor Fritz.

Pablo Carreño

also suffers an ailment in the side that forced him to leave before Dimitrov.

Matteo Berrettini

, one of the emerging tennis players, beat

Khachanov

despite problems in the same area.

No one is safe in a tournament that will be played without an audience at least until next Thursday, after an outbreak of hyperinfectives was detected in one of the hotels where some of the players stayed.

Michail Pervolarakis'

positive on

arrival in South Africa from Melbourne raises the level of concern.

The Greek has not played the tournament, but he was in the ATP Cup. Pervolarakis tested negative upon his departure from Melbourne, as he explained through Instagram, and could contract Covid 19 on the plane or on the stopover in Doha.

Everything is different in this edition, with the fastest tracks in recent years and the consequent benefit for the big servers.

Without playing great games, Nadal keeps his chances of winning the tournament for the second time and thus surpassing

Roger Federer's

20 greats

.

A still distant goal, since from now on it will be up to him to tackle more qualified opponents.

Should he beat

Fabio Fognini

, the only player who has lifted him two sets in a Grand Slam tournament, in the second round of the 2015 United States Open, he would be measured in the quarterfinals with Berrettini or Stefanos Tsitsipas, and also in the Field of hypothesis, the semifinals could pair him with Medvedev.

On the other side is Djokovic, who is looking for his seventeenth major.

The Serbian, winner of the last two editions and has gone 25 consecutive games without losing in Australia, adding his participation in the ATP Cup. But not even he can move in the territory of certainties

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • Rafael Nadal

  • Novak Djokovic

  • Australian Open

  • US Open

  • tennis

  • Covid 19

Australian Open Maximum requirement;

poor preparation for the Australian Open

Australian Open 2021Nadal neutralizes the combative Norrie and enters the round of 16 without giving up a set

Australian Open 2021Public, faster tracks and remnants of the debate on the different treatment in quarantine

See links of interest

  • 2021 business calendar

  • Rafael Nadal - Cameron Norrie, live

  • Leicester City - Liverpool

  • Granada CF - Atlético de Madrid, live

  • Torino - Genoa

  • Barcelona - Alavés, live