Jean-Baptiste Sarrazin 10:16 p.m., January 16, 2023
The first day of the Australian Open was marked on Monday by the first Grand Slam victory for Constant Lestienne, but also by the injury package of local hero Nick Kyrgios and the health walk of Jessica Pegula.
The journalists took stock in the program "Europe 1 Sport" (every evening from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.).
Constant Lestienne breaks down his own barriers one by one.
At 30, now 55th in the world, the Frenchman won his first Grand Slam success in Melbourne in the first round of the Australian Open, calmly beating Brazilian Thiago Monteiro (69th), 6-3, 7 -6 (2), 6-3, in 2h28.
He will face in the second round the Briton Cameron Norrie, seeded 11, who fell earlier in the day from Luca Van Assche.
Another victory that will please tennis fans, that of Rafael Nadal.
The defending champion gave up a set before dismissing the dreaded Jack Draper for his opening match at the Australian Open on Monday on a day marked by the injury withdrawal of local hero Nick Kyrgios.
Like every year, he was looking forward to playing HIS tournament.
But his knee wanted it otherwise and forced the 27-year-old Australian to withdraw on the eve of his entry into the running.
"I'm destroyed (psychologically), it's my national tournament, I have great memories there and in particular the doubles title last year (with Thanasi Kokkinakis) and to arrive there this year being one of the favorites it was crazy but all I have to do is do the right thing and come back,” he commented.
He will undergo an arthroscopy in the coming days "will have the month of February to recover" and should be ready for Indian Wells in March, said his physiotherapist Will Maher.
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Without stress
Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff and Emma Raducanu on the women's side, Jannik Sinner on the men's side, made a perfect entry into the first Major of the season.
"Everything worked well," soberly admitted Pegula who did not take an hour to get rid of Jaqueline Cristian.
"I'm very happy with myself," savored Gauff (7th) after dominating the Czech Katerina Siniakova (46th) 6-1, 6-4.
Raducanu (77th), who had left the court crying after being injured on January 5 in Auckland, is better: the winner of the US Open 2021 inflicted a 6-3, 6-2 on the German Tamara Korpatsch (76th).
The next match will inevitably be of a completely different flavor for Gauff or Raducanu who will compete for a place in the third round.
As for Sinner (16th), he was pleased to have been "very solid" to beat the Briton Kyle Edmund (ex-14th currently 580th) 6-4, 6-0, 6-2.
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In strength
Finalist last year, the American Danielle Collins has already had to show the public why she was nicknamed "Danimal": the 11th in the world was indeed forced to bring out all her rage to overcome the Russian Anna Kalinskaya (59th ) 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 in 3:03.
She will face in the second round the Czech Karolina Muchova (133rd) who easily qualified at the expense of the Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko (134th) 6-2, 6-1.
"It was not complicated to beat me today": the French Arthur Rinderknech, 59th in the world, disappointed not to have been able to offer a game after his severe defeat 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 against the Japanese Yosuke Watanuki, 138th and from qualifying.
For his very first Grand Slam main draw, the Japanese will face American Sebastian Korda (31st) on Wednesday who gave up a set to Chilean Cristian Garin (87th) before winning 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 , 6-2