Tonight (the difference is ten hours Melbourne) Australia Open starts, which could link Rafa Nadal titles in the four 'major' in a row. Federer, first debut, puts pressure on number one.
Bursts in the Australian Open in Melbourne, capital of the State of Victoria ... cities where some 200 km (including Rock Hampton, birthplace of Rod Laver) and receive an evacuation order by the threat of rain tsunami has Brisbane and Queensland ruined. And in the midst of this strange southern summer camping world tennis elite, who this morning in Spain will start.
In Melbourne, in the old Kooyong Club, Lleyton Hewitt beat Monfils (7-5, 6-2) in the final of the Kooyong Classic exhibition. Hewitt, winner in the semis Davydenko, try reborn under the rule that dictates Tony Roche, former coach of Roger Federer and Ivan Lendl, who here has passed ball with the little devil Hewitt. Roche, Hewitt and Lendl match, "Few appreciate what they're doing Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal." According Lendl, who knows something about this, "one could say that Lleyton is doing everything right to be a favorite of the Open if they were Roger and Rafa, who do everything right, constantly."
What do Rafa and Roger, in the order of the list of ATP? Nadal, set to debut in the early hours of Tuesday, Spanish (in open or covered) to Brazil's Marcos Daniel, appeared before the media yesterday: "After what I had in Doha, I feel a little better but not perfect: a little more tired than usual, when I train, and sweating more than ever. But it is true that I am better than it days, so do not expect to have problems in the first game of next week. " If all went well, should cross Nadal in the semifinals with Murray and Soderling.
Favorites.
Federer, defending champion in Australia, defends 2,000 points and starts with Slovakian Lukas Lacko, he did to Nadal in Doha the outrage of a 6-0 "I have no problems with not being the favorite, the favorite has to be Rafa is the one that has three Slams in 2010: I have one and is already . I played well on hard courts and I won the Masters Cup, but who is dominating in the Grand Slams is Rafa. Believe me, I follow very closely. " Word of Roger Federer. Will a hard rain fall on Melbourne?