Nadal, to reconquer New York and number one

The Spanish, more favorite without Djokovic

Tough revalidation for Badosa and Muguruza in a US Open that fires Serena Williams

MADRID, 28 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Spanish tennis player Rafa Nadal faces the US Open from this Tuesday, the last 'Grand Slam' of the season, with the ambition of a season to frame, despite the physical setbacks, and the option of adding the 23rd 'big' and return to be number one in the world.

Nadal returns to New York three years after his last appearance, one he will remember for a lifetime because he won the tournament with an epic comeback over Russian Daniil Medvedev. The man from Manacor has been followed by misfortune on several occasions in his long career, but he continues to show signs of an indomitable and hard-working spirit.

The champion of 22 'big' has a stack of epic episodes, increasingly due to complications and his 36 years. In the 'Big Apple' the challenge is high, since the Spaniard arrives with hardly any filming, with a defeat in his debut in Cincinnati since he retired before the Wimbledon semifinal due to an abdominal injury.

The champion of Australia and Roland Garros, in one returning from six months and in another with his foot asleep due to his chronic injury, could not fight for glory in London because of that abdomen that he has had to take care of, very delicate due to its importance in the pull out 'Cincy' came just right and Borna Coric, future champion, got him down in the second round.

For Flushing Meadows, the Spaniard arrives with more and better training and, in addition, he had a friendly draw that should allow him to advance rounds and achieve competition shooting. Nadal will debut on Tuesday against the Australian Rinky Hijikata, and could be measured, by ranking, with Fabio Fognini, Miomir Kecmanovic, Diego Schwartzman, Cameron Norrie and Denis Shapovalov.

The last 'great' also has the incentive of opening the fight for the number one to five tennis player. The best placed is Nadal, who has not been at the top since February 2020, since he does not defend any points. Medvedev himself, the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, the Spanish Carlos Alcaraz and the Norwegian Casper Ruud have their options.

For Alcaraz, who reached the quarterfinals last year and will also debut on Tuesday against Argentine Sebas Báez, the US Open reminds him of the path to glory from last season, despite encountering certain setbacks. The Murcian has 'stuck' in the four titles in 2022, letting the finals of Hamburg and Umag slip away, while the tour prior to the US Open was normal.

Juan Carlos Ferrero's pupil can still connect the rocket to which he has been climbing for many months and give the 'big' blow that did not come out in Paris or London. The Spanish representation is completed by Pablo Carreño, Roberto Bautista, Alejandro Davidovich, Pablo Andújar, Albert Ramos, Bernabé Zapata, Pedro Martínez, Jaume Munar, Roberto Carballés and Fernando Verdasco.

The one who will not be will be Novak Djokvovic after failing to obtain permission from the United States to enter the country without being vaccinated against the coronavirus. The Serbian does not give his arm to twist, but neither do the authorities, so he will not be able to opt for his 22nd 'big', although he avoids the episode of deportation from Australia.

In the women's draw, the US Open has its eyes on Serena Williams, who will make her debut on Tuesday against Montenegrin Danka Kovinic. The champion of 23 'big' announced her withdrawal after the Open of her country. For Tuesday there will also be two important names for Spanish tennis in search of resurgence.

Muguruza, who is still immersed in a bad season, will debut with the Danish Clara Tauson with the idea of ​​improving and showing that she is the current WTA Master and wants to continue competing. The Spanish-Venezuelan has very few victories this year and the draw gave her a difficult path to overcome her ceiling of the round of 16.

Meanwhile, Badosa, a New York native, is only playing for the fifth time in the main draw of the US Open and with only one match won. The Catalan tries to leave the pressure behind and find her game, which took her to number two in the world in 2022. The also Spanish Sara Sorribes and Nuria Párrizas will debut this Monday against the Slovakian Viktoria Kuzmova and the Hungarian Dalma Galfi.