MSuccessful start at the Australian Open: In the first four matches with German participation, there was not a single win at the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. The tennis pros Oscar Otte, Daniel Altmaier, Tamara Korpatsch and Eva Lys all suffered defeats.
Despite a strong performance from the third set, Altmaier (24) drew 3: 6, 3: 6, 7: 6 (7: 5), 6: 7 (6: 8) against the American Frances Tiafoe, who was number 16. the shortest. Tiafoe now faces Otte-Besieger Shang in the second round.
The 27-year-old Korpatsch lost 3: 6, 2: 6 against former US Open winner Emma Raducanu from Great Britain. Lys from Hamburg won the first set against the Spanish qualifier Cristina Bucsa, but lost in the end 6:2, 0:6, 2:6. The 21-year-old, who was in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time thanks to three convincing victories in qualifying, had to have his right wrist treated in the second set.
Otte “like a garbage can”
Oscar Otte was hard on himself after his end. “I felt like I was on the pitch like a garbage can and just couldn’t manage to play a reasonable return with my backhand,” said the Davis Cup player after the deserved 2: 6, 4: 6, 7: 6 ( 7-2), 5-7 loss at Melbourne Park on Monday to qualifier Shang Juncheng. Otte couldn’t find a match against the only 17-year-old Chinese from the start.
“You have to be completely open and honest with yourself: It was mostly up to me today. Against such an opponent you have to use serve and return – that didn’t work at all today,” said the Cologne native: “It’s just amazing what happened today. I still can’t quite believe it.”
“really sucks”
Otte was also so disappointed because he had worked “to the point of throwing up” in preparation for the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. “Physically I felt good on the pitch, I could have played ten more sets. It’s frustrating that the tennis and the head aren’t there,” said the 29-year-old. The sport is “sometimes really corrosive, but I still love it and keep at it”.
Since his knee injury last year, Otte has rarely been able to perform at his best. Maybe he is now looking for the help of mental coaches. “Maybe there was something in your head that you would have to talk to an expert about,” said Otte. He had “played uncomfortable, somehow stuck”. “Maybe there’s something in the subconscious.”
Out for Kyrgios
Meanwhile, the Australian Open lost one of its attractions on the first day. Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios canceled his participation in the home tournament on Monday due to knee problems. “It’s just brutal,” said the Australian tennis pro: “It’s the most important tournament, but that’s life. Injuries are part of sport.”
According to his physiotherapist, who was also on the podium at the press conference on Monday afternoon (local time), the meniscus injury is not something very serious. “We wanted to save him from another injury or a worsening of the injury,” he said. Kyrgios will therefore not compete in Melbourne and will now undergo an arthroscopy.
No. 19 seed Kyrgios should have played his first-round match against Russian Roman Safiullin on Tuesday. The highly talented, but also often moody Australian was considered one of the great advertising mediums for the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. In the new tennis documentary “Break Point” on Netflix, the 27-year-old is the main protagonist of the opening episode.
“I don’t doubt at all that I will find my way back to my old strength,” said Kyrgios. The American Denis Kudla, who moved up into the main draw as a lucky loser in the qualification, will benefit from his resignation.
