Rafael Nadal made a winning return to tennis with a first-round victory over James Duckworth at the Australian Open on Monday.

The 2009 Australian Open champion defeated Duckworth in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 in hot conditions on Rod Laver Arena.

The Spaniard had not played an ATP Tour match since being forced to withdraw from his US Open semi-final because of a knee injury last September.

After an abdominal problem and ankle surgery ended his season early, he pulled out of the tournament in Brisbane last week with a minor thigh strain.

The world No 2 began impressively to break Duckworth in the opening game of the match and eventually claim the first set in 39 minutes. The Australian, however, offered resistance in the second set when he secured a break of serve to establish a 2-0 lead.

Nadal, a 17-time major winner, broke back immediately with games soon going back on serve, before he gained two more breaks to move ahead two sets to love.

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Rafa's back! 
 
In his 1⃣4⃣th appearance at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/RafaelNadal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RafaelNadal</a> gets his 2019 campaign underway, def. James Duckworth 6-4 6-3 7-5. <a href="https://t.co/egIaN204qE">pic.twitter.com/egIaN204qE</a>
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/1084661548725850112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"It's not easy to come back after a lot of months, and especially against a player who's super aggressive. 'I'm very, very happy to be through," Nadal said in an on-court interview.&nbsp;

He will next play either another Australian Matthew Ebden or Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff who face off later on Monday. 
&nbsp;

Rafael Nadal made a winning return to tennis with a first-round victory over James Duckworth at the Australian Open on Monday. The 2009 Australian Open champion defeated Duckworth in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 in hot conditions on Rod Laver Arena.

Rafael Nadal made a winning return to tennis with a first-round victory over James Duckworth at the Australian Open on Monday. The 2009 Australian Open champion defeated Duckworth in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 in hot conditions on Rod Laver Arena. The Spaniard had not played an ATP Tour match since being forced to withdraw from his US Open semi-final because of a knee injury last September. After an abdominal problem and ankle surgery ended his season early, he pulled out of the tournament in Brisbane last week with a minor thigh strain. The world No 2 began impressively to break Duckworth in the opening game of the match and eventually claim the first set in 39 minutes. The Australian, however, offered resistance in the second set when he secured a break of serve to establish a 2-0 lead. Nadal, a 17-time major winner, broke back immediately with games soon going back on serve, before he gained two more breaks to move ahead two sets to love. Rafa's back! In his 1⃣4⃣th appearance at the #AusOpen, @RafaelNadal gets his 2019 campaign underway, def. James Duckworth 6-4 6-3 7-5. pic.twitter.com/egIaN204qE — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 14, 2019 × "It's not easy to come back after a lot of months, and especially against a player who's super aggressive. 'I'm very, very happy to be through," Nadal said in an on-court interview. He will next play either another Australian Matthew Ebden or Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff who face off later on Monday.

Australian Open: Rafael Nadal roars past James Duckworth to enter 2nd round

As the Australian Open enters the second week, things started veering dramatically. By and large, the apprehensions which loomed at the time of kick-start of the Australian Open came to the fore and turned into reality. Many big stars were suffering from injuries during the start of the year 2018. Andy Murray did not participate and Djokovic, Nadal and Wawrinka came to Melbourne with injury scares. 2014 champion Wawrinka succumbed early and crashed out in the 2nd round but it was smooth sailing for Djokovic and Nadal during the first week.

&nbsp;

The first shocker came on Monday 22nd January, when Novak Djokovic crashed out of the tournament. A spirited performance by South Korean Chung Hyeon, coupled with fitness issues of Djokovic ensured ouster of Djokovic. It is the Australian Open where Djokovic won his first Grand Slam exactly 10 years back in 2008. Australian Open has been to Djokovic, what French Open is to Nadal and Wimbledon is to Federer &ndash; A real den.&nbsp; Djokovic has lifted trophy here six times in past one decade. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

It was Nadal&rsquo;s turn next day to succumb. Rafael Nadal is a fighter and he put up a strong show against last year Wimbledon finalist Marin Cilic. Nadal was forced to take an injury timeout in the fourth set. He finally gave up in the fifth set and his disappointment was palpable.

&nbsp;

It is a sad start of the year for Nadal, who had a dream run in 2017, winning two Grand Slams and ended up runners-up in Australian Open last year. But Nadal knows how to bounce back. After his French Open triumph in 2014, Nadal plummeted but bounced back with a bang after three years in 2017.

&nbsp;

But an even bigger wave was created by the 23 years old Britisher Kyle Edmund. Edmund had better of the 3rd seeded Dimitrov in the quarter-final and stormed into the semi-final. Edmund is only the 6th British player to reach the Grand Slam semi-final in the open era and that speaks about the grandeur of his achievement.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Now in the Men&rsquo;s singles, Roger Federer and Marin Cilic are the two formidable players left in the fray.

&nbsp;

In Women&rsquo;s Singles, the second-seeded C. Wozniacki is in the last four. It is a big relief for Wozniacki who saved two match points in the second round. But she has been playing sublime Tennis after that 2nd round scare. Wozniacki&rsquo;s run is somewhat reminiscent of Boris Becker&rsquo;s voyage in the 1989 US Open. In the US Open of 1989, Becker survived two match points in the fourth round and eventually won the tournament. Wozniacki is two steps away from the summit position and repeats Becker&rsquo;s feet.

&nbsp;

However, all eyes are on the 2016 champion Angelique Kerber. 30- years-old Kerber is a veteran as she turned professional 15 years back. Kerber struggled all through 2017 but in 2018, she is a different player. Kerber has defeated 17th seed American Madison Keys in the quarter-final.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Keys perhaps has been the most impressive player in this year&#39;s Australian Open as she hadn&rsquo;t dropped a set till the quarter-final.&nbsp; A scoreline of 6-3 6-2 against 8th seeded Caroline Garcia in the 4th round speaks about the form Keys is in but she was no match to Kerber in the semi-final.

&nbsp;

Top-seeded Simona Halep is also in the quarter-final. It would be an interesting battle for the title between Wozniacki, Kerber, and Halep for the Women&rsquo;s singles.

&nbsp;

In the next few days, history may be created as Federer may become the first man to take his Grand Slam tally to 20. Make no mistake about Federer&rsquo;s form &ndash; Federer hasn&rsquo;t dropped a single set till now in this tournament.

&nbsp;

A very special mention needs to be made of bespectacled 21-year-old South Korean Chung Hyeon, who toppled Djokovic. This morning Chung defeated American Tennys Sandgren in the quarter-final and now he is in the last four. After all, how many times you have seen an Asian playing in the Grand Slam semi-final and defeating a 12 Grand Slams holder. I am sure you would struggle to figure out this in history. Hats off Chung.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

It would be an interesting battle for the title between Wozniacki, Kerber, and Halep for the Women’s singles.

As the Australian Open enters the second week, things started veering dramatically. By and large, the apprehensions which loomed at the time of kick-start of the Australian Open came to the fore and turned into reality. Many big stars were suffering from injuries during the start of the year 2018. Andy Murray did not participate and Djokovic, Nadal and Wawrinka came to Melbourne with injury scares. 2014 champion Wawrinka succumbed early and crashed out in the 2nd round but it was smooth sailing for Djokovic and Nadal during the first week. The first shocker came on Monday 22nd January, when Novak Djokovic crashed out of the tournament. A spirited performance by South Korean Chung Hyeon, coupled with fitness issues of Djokovic ensured ouster of Djokovic. It is the Australian Open where Djokovic won his first Grand Slam exactly 10 years back in 2008. Australian Open has been to Djokovic, what French Open is to Nadal and Wimbledon is to Federer – A real den. Djokovic has lifted trophy here six times in past one decade. It was Nadal’s turn next day to succumb. Rafael Nadal is a fighter and he put up a strong show against last year Wimbledon finalist Marin Cilic. Nadal was forced to take an injury timeout in the fourth set. He finally gave up in the fifth set and his disappointment was palpable. It is a sad start of the year for Nadal, who had a dream run in 2017, winning two Grand Slams and ended up runners-up in Australian Open last year. But Nadal knows how to bounce back. After his French Open triumph in 2014, Nadal plummeted but bounced back with a bang after three years in 2017. But an even bigger wave was created by the 23 years old Britisher Kyle Edmund. Edmund had better of the 3rd seeded Dimitrov in the quarter-final and stormed into the semi-final. Edmund is only the 6th British player to reach the Grand Slam semi-final in the open era and that speaks about the grandeur of his achievement. Now in the Men’s singles, Roger Federer and Marin Cilic are the two formidable players left in the fray. In Women’s Singles, the second-seeded C. Wozniacki is in the last four. It is a big relief for Wozniacki who saved two match points in the second round. But she has been playing sublime Tennis after that 2nd round scare. Wozniacki’s run is somewhat reminiscent of Boris Becker’s voyage in the 1989 US Open. In the US Open of 1989, Becker survived two match points in the fourth round and eventually won the tournament. Wozniacki is two steps away from the summit position and repeats Becker’s feet. However, all eyes are on the 2016 champion Angelique Kerber. 30- years-old Kerber is a veteran as she turned professional 15 years back. Kerber struggled all through 2017 but in 2018, she is a different player. Kerber has defeated 17th seed American Madison Keys in the quarter-final. Keys perhaps has been the most impressive player in this year's Australian Open as she hadn’t dropped a set till the quarter-final. A scoreline of 6-3 6-2 against 8th seeded Caroline Garcia in the 4th round speaks about the form Keys is in but she was no match to Kerber in the semi-final. Top-seeded Simona Halep is also in the quarter-final. It would be an interesting battle for the title between Wozniacki, Kerber, and Halep for the Women’s singles. In the next few days, history may be created as Federer may become the first man to take his Grand Slam tally to 20. Make no mistake about Federer’s form – Federer hasn’t dropped a single set till now in this tournament. A very special mention needs to be made of bespectacled 21-year-old South Korean Chung Hyeon, who toppled Djokovic. This morning Chung defeated American Tennys Sandgren in the quarter-final and now he is in the last four. After all, how many times you have seen an Asian playing in the Grand Slam semi-final and defeating a 12 Grand Slams holder. I am sure you would struggle to figure out this in history. Hats off Chung. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Australian Open dazzles because of Wozniacki, Kerber and Halep

Caroline Wozniacki is one match away from ending her Grand Slam title drought after overcoming a late wobble to beat unseeded Elise Mertens and reach the Australian Open final Thursday.

The Danish world number two won 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) in 1hr 37min after almost allowing the world number 37 a way back when serving for the match at 5-4, and seemingly in complete control.&nbsp;

Two double faults enabled Mertens, in her first semi-final at this level on her Australian Open debut, to level at 5-5.

Serving to take it to a tiebreak at 5-6 Wozniacki then needed to save three sets points before sealing the match in the tiebreak.

&quot;It means so much to me.&quot; she said after reaching her maiden Australian Open final and her first Grand Slam decider since 2014, where she will play either top seed Simona Halep or the 2016 Melbourne Park champion Angelique Kerber on Saturday.

&quot;I got really tight at 5-4. I thought &#39;calm down it&#39;s all good&#39;. It wasn&#39;t good anymore. Served a couple of double faults.

&quot;Normally I am really calm so once I started feeling really nervous, it felt like my legs were shaking a bit.

&quot;I just took a few deep breaths and once she had set point, I said: &#39;Well, I guess it is a third set. Just need to go forward&#39;.&quot;

Wozniacki has never quite lived up to the hype in the majors -- this will be just her third Grand Slam final appearance, nine years after her first at the US Open in 2009.&nbsp;

The 27-year-old rose to the top of the world rankings in 2010 but has only made the title match at a Grand Slam once since then, also at Flushing Meadows in 2014.

Mertens, in only her fifth Grand Slam appearance and Australian Open debut, signalled her intent to attack from the start, standing inside the baseline to receive Wozniacki&#39;s second serve.

Aggressive overtures 
It was a high-risk strategy and with Wozniacki repelling all the Belgian&#39;s aggressive overtures, the errors began to flow at regular intervals from Mertens&#39; racket.

Serving at 1-3, 15-40, a netted forehand, her fifth unforced error on that wing, gave the Dane, back in a semi-final at Melbourne for the first time since 2011, the first break.&nbsp;

Mertens, seeking to become the first Belgian since Kim Clijsters here in 2011 to reach a Slam final, kept up the attack and fashioned a break point in the next game but Wozniacki stood up to the challenge and held for 4-1.

Serving at 2-5, Mertens saved a set point when Wozniacki went long with a forehand. The Dane was unperturbed by the minor setback and held to love to seal a comfortable first set 6-3 after 38 minutes.

There was little between the pair in terms of winners in the first stanza, Wozniacki edging the count 13 to 12.&nbsp;

But the unforced error count was telling -- the Dane committing just six while Mertens threw away 14 points.

The second set went with serve until the Dane&#39;s late wobble, before she finally made it through.

The Danish world number two won 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) in 1hr 37min after almost allowing the world number 37 a way back when serving for the match at 5-4,

Caroline Wozniacki is one match away from ending her Grand Slam title drought after overcoming a late wobble to beat unseeded Elise Mertens and reach the Australian Open final Thursday. The Danish world number two won 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) in 1hr 37min after almost allowing the world number 37 a way back when serving for the match at 5-4, and seemingly in complete control. Two double faults enabled Mertens, in her first semi-final at this level on her Australian Open debut, to level at 5-5. Serving to take it to a tiebreak at 5-6 Wozniacki then needed to save three sets points before sealing the match in the tiebreak. "It means so much to me." she said after reaching her maiden Australian Open final and her first Grand Slam decider since 2014, where she will play either top seed Simona Halep or the 2016 Melbourne Park champion Angelique Kerber on Saturday. "I got really tight at 5-4. I thought 'calm down it's all good'. It wasn't good anymore. Served a couple of double faults. "Normally I am really calm so once I started feeling really nervous, it felt like my legs were shaking a bit. "I just took a few deep breaths and once she had set point, I said: 'Well, I guess it is a third set. Just need to go forward'." Wozniacki has never quite lived up to the hype in the majors -- this will be just her third Grand Slam final appearance, nine years after her first at the US Open in 2009. The 27-year-old rose to the top of the world rankings in 2010 but has only made the title match at a Grand Slam once since then, also at Flushing Meadows in 2014. Mertens, in only her fifth Grand Slam appearance and Australian Open debut, signalled her intent to attack from the start, standing inside the baseline to receive Wozniacki's second serve. Aggressive overtures It was a high-risk strategy and with Wozniacki repelling all the Belgian's aggressive overtures, the errors began to flow at regular intervals from Mertens' racket. Serving at 1-3, 15-40, a netted forehand, her fifth unforced error on that wing, gave the Dane, back in a semi-final at Melbourne for the first time since 2011, the first break. Mertens, seeking to become the first Belgian since Kim Clijsters here in 2011 to reach a Slam final, kept up the attack and fashioned a break point in the next game but Wozniacki stood up to the challenge and held for 4-1. Serving at 2-5, Mertens saved a set point when Wozniacki went long with a forehand. The Dane was unperturbed by the minor setback and held to love to seal a comfortable first set 6-3 after 38 minutes. There was little between the pair in terms of winners in the first stanza, Wozniacki edging the count 13 to 12. But the unforced error count was telling -- the Dane committing just six while Mertens threw away 14 points. The second set went with serve until the Dane's late wobble, before she finally made it through.

Australian Open: Wobbly Wozniacki beats Mertens to enter final

Former world number one Novak Djokovic came back from six months off the tennis circuit due to an elbow injury to play the Australian Open at the start of the new season. The first of four grand slam tournaments between January and September takes place in Melbourne at the height of Australia&rsquo;s summer. In recent years, it has become sport&rsquo;s most dramatic illustration of the effects of global warming. Year after year, daytime temperatures climb to increasingly unbearable levels for the players, many of whom are forced to retire before completing their best-of-five set match.

Early in the tournament, after several hours struggling in extreme heat to defeat Gael Monfils, Djokovic expressed his growing concern.&nbsp;Here is how he describes&nbsp;the state of tennis&nbsp;today: &ldquo;Our sport has become an industry. It&rsquo;s more business than a sport. At times I don&rsquo;t like that. Of course, we&rsquo;re all blessed to have great financial compensation, great lives. I&rsquo;m very grateful for that. At the same time, what is most important for us is our health and what happens after our careers, after you&rsquo;re 30, 35.&rdquo;

This raises a serious question: Does it make sense to call an individual sport in which two players strike a ball on opposite sides of a net an industry? Perhaps the word &ldquo;industry&rdquo; has changed its meaning.

Here is today&rsquo;s 3D definition:

Industry:

Every human activity from which a profit can be earned. Formerly, industry only applied to those human activities that required high levels of investment and organization to produce and distribute goods.

CONTEXTUAL NOTE

Sport is one of the mainstays of the attention economy. When traditionally shared social values end up in tatters as a result of ever-increasing consumerist individualism, people turn to competitive sport as an alternative to religion, patriotism and politics &mdash; on which no one can agree &mdash; to anchor their loyalties and even their identity. The movers and shakers of the attention economy have seized the occasion and progressively exploited the trend to the point at which the athletes themselves have become products and the most successful ones brands in their own right. The uncontested stars of their sport attract far more revenue from their chosen corporate sponsors than from the increasingly well-endowed prize money they earn from competing.

Djokovic doesn&rsquo;t fail to express his gratitude for the windfall this represents for his own well-being. But in moments like these, when it becomes obvious that the power of commercial interests dwarfs the power and skill of finely tuned athletes and endangers their livelihood, the Serbian champion allows himself to express some minor misgivings about the cynicism of a system more focused on a sponsor&rsquo;s bottom line than the court&rsquo;s rectangular white lines and the players&rsquo; longevity.

HISTORICAL NOTE

There is a double movement in the modern history of sports and tennis in particular. Amateur sports were long considered the ideal. To qualify for the Olympic Games and to participate in a tennis grand slam (Paris, Wimbledon, New York, Melbourne) one had to be an amateur. Pros were not allowed to compete. As a result, for most of the 20th-century amateur athletes were often held in higher esteem than professionals. Exactly 50 years ago, in 1968, the four prestigious grand slam tennis tournaments became &ldquo;Opens,&rdquo; allowing professional tennis players to compete for the first time.

The growing popularity of televised sporting events opened the door to sponsorship on a dramatically new level. Famous athletes had always been courted by commercial interests, but this is when the trend to brand everything began. Athletes themselves became first products and then brands. Today, their image is often managed by their direct sponsors and they are coached to &ldquo;say nice things&rdquo; about the sponsors of events, who made it possible for them to compete. The organizers of major tournaments, which attract hundreds of millions of spectators through the media, have become adept at milking every possible profit out of their events and the performing athletes, even when their health may be at risk.

The sport, in other words, has become the window dressing of an industry. The athletes, to a large extent interchangeable &mdash; with the exception of stars such as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic &mdash; have become their cash cow or the goose that lays the golden eggs. Djokovic,&nbsp;followed by Nadal, has allowed himself to wonder out loud how many more golden eggs their industrial masters will allow them to lay.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

This <a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/culture/australian-open-tennis-novak-djokovic-sports-news-25095/">article </a>was published originally in the <a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/">Fair Observer</a>.

Playing in the hot Australian summer, Djokovic says tennis is more of a business than a sport.

Former world number one Novak Djokovic came back from six months off the tennis circuit due to an elbow injury to play the Australian Open at the start of the new season. The first of four grand slam tournaments between January and September takes place in Melbourne at the height of Australia’s summer. In recent years, it has become sport’s most dramatic illustration of the effects of global warming. Year after year, daytime temperatures climb to increasingly unbearable levels for the players, many of whom are forced to retire before completing their best-of-five set match. Early in the tournament, after several hours struggling in extreme heat to defeat Gael Monfils, Djokovic expressed his growing concern. Here is how he describes the state of tennis today: “Our sport has become an industry. It’s more business than a sport. At times I don’t like that. Of course, we’re all blessed to have great financial compensation, great lives. I’m very grateful for that. At the same time, what is most important for us is our health and what happens after our careers, after you’re 30, 35.” This raises a serious question: Does it make sense to call an individual sport in which two players strike a ball on opposite sides of a net an industry? Perhaps the word “industry” has changed its meaning. Here is today’s 3D definition: Industry: Every human activity from which a profit can be earned. Formerly, industry only applied to those human activities that required high levels of investment and organization to produce and distribute goods. CONTEXTUAL NOTE Sport is one of the mainstays of the attention economy. When traditionally shared social values end up in tatters as a result of ever-increasing consumerist individualism, people turn to competitive sport as an alternative to religion, patriotism and politics — on which no one can agree — to anchor their loyalties and even their identity. The movers and shakers of the attention economy have seized the occasion and progressively exploited the trend to the point at which the athletes themselves have become products and the most successful ones brands in their own right. The uncontested stars of their sport attract far more revenue from their chosen corporate sponsors than from the increasingly well-endowed prize money they earn from competing. Djokovic doesn’t fail to express his gratitude for the windfall this represents for his own well-being. But in moments like these, when it becomes obvious that the power of commercial interests dwarfs the power and skill of finely tuned athletes and endangers their livelihood, the Serbian champion allows himself to express some minor misgivings about the cynicism of a system more focused on a sponsor’s bottom line than the court’s rectangular white lines and the players’ longevity. HISTORICAL NOTE There is a double movement in the modern history of sports and tennis in particular. Amateur sports were long considered the ideal. To qualify for the Olympic Games and to participate in a tennis grand slam (Paris, Wimbledon, New York, Melbourne) one had to be an amateur. Pros were not allowed to compete. As a result, for most of the 20th-century amateur athletes were often held in higher esteem than professionals. Exactly 50 years ago, in 1968, the four prestigious grand slam tennis tournaments became “Opens,” allowing professional tennis players to compete for the first time. The growing popularity of televised sporting events opened the door to sponsorship on a dramatically new level. Famous athletes had always been courted by commercial interests, but this is when the trend to brand everything began. Athletes themselves became first products and then brands. Today, their image is often managed by their direct sponsors and they are coached to “say nice things” about the sponsors of events, who made it possible for them to compete. The organizers of major tournaments, which attract hundreds of millions of spectators through the media, have become adept at milking every possible profit out of their events and the performing athletes, even when their health may be at risk. The sport, in other words, has become the window dressing of an industry. The athletes, to a large extent interchangeable — with the exception of stars such as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic — have become their cash cow or the goose that lays the golden eggs. Djokovic, followed by Nadal, has allowed himself to wonder out loud how many more golden eggs their industrial masters will allow them to lay. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) This article was published originally in the Fair Observer.

Opinion: Is Tennis an “Industry”?

At its zenith, the British Empire was so extensive that it was told, &ldquo;this is the empire on which sun never sets&rdquo;.

&nbsp;

So during the last two weeks when Roger Federer was demolishing best of Tennis talent from across the globe at Australian Open, this phrase was echoing in my mind. Here is the enigma called Federer, who is playing professional Tennis for the last two decades yet continues to be a world beater. We can say, just like the British Empire, the sun will never set on Federer&#39;s career.

&nbsp;

We need to realise, once upon a time deep in the past, Federer won his first Grand Slam. That was July 2003. Mark Zuckerberg was still writing codes of Facebook, Barack Obama was just an Illinois State Senator, our hero MS Dhoni was toiling to make a mark at national level Cricket, Android &amp; smartphone did not exist and Apple hadn&rsquo;t even conceptualized its first iPhone.

&nbsp;

In one of the most competitive, popular and demanding sports, in which men from across length and breadth of the globe are toiling hard to make a mark, maintaining a winning spree the at the top level, for so long, is unequivocally no less than a miracle. At the top of it, in the Australia Open of 2018, Federer stormed in his 30th Grand Slam final, without dropping a set.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Till 2012, Federer had become, arguably, the greatest Tennis player of all times (GOAT) but the way he has propelled himself over the past 13 months, he is now even way beyond this &#39;GOAT&#39; discussion. He is reaching a level when he is set to symbolise the very sports he has been representing for all those years. Federer is to Tennis, what Pele is to Football &amp; Usain Bolt is to sprinting.

&nbsp;

With the 20th Grand Slam at Melbourne Park, Federer is at the unassailable summit. Federer is the only man in history who has won three Grand Slams at least five times. He won his 17th Grand Slam in 2012 (Wimbledon). The tally remained the same until the end of 2016. Even the most ardent of Federer&rsquo;s fans started believing that it was for the love for the game that Federer was stuck to court and as such 17 would remain his final tally. But with Australian Open last year, Federer spun a huge surprise. His resurgence with a bang has been quite unique and epitomises his greatness.

&nbsp;

But let&rsquo;s put number and statistics aside for a while, Federer is the greatest because of his alluring and slick playing style. The sign of greatest sportsperson is that they make things look so simple. If you see Shane Warne bowling and cueist Ronny &lsquo;O&rsquo; Sullivan clearing snooker table, you would feel how simple it is to bowl a leg-break or play snooker. Federer is in this class. His movement on courts are so rhythmic and at the top of it, single-handed backhand with clinical precision is Federer&rsquo;s biggest weapon. In fact, fluency in playing style is the secret of his longevity as his style is far less sapping on his body.

&nbsp;

Federer is the most complete player as Jimmy Connors once rightly described him &ldquo;There are four kinds of players in Tennis, hard court specialist, grass court specialist, clay court specialist and Roger Federer&rdquo;. He is such a perfect mixture of elegance, power and hard work that it is like Edberg, Sampras and Agassi rolled into one player.

&nbsp;

Marin Cilic deserves a mention too. Cilic had an unambiguous run till the final where he failed to conquer the big wall. With two finals in three Grand Slams, Cilic is nearing breakthrough and would be a player to watch in 2018.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Women Tennis, on the contrary, is being driven by a pool of many players who are at par with each other. After Williams sisters and Belgian duo Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters, Women Tennis is still waiting for the next breakthrough player. There are many players on the WTA with 1 or 2 Slams under their belt but none ruling the roost. This is well manifested by the fact that at the Australian Open of 2018, top two seeded players were playing in the final for their first Grand Slam.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Playing in her 43rd Grand Slam, when 2nd seeded Caroline Wozniacki was pumping her fist after winning her first Slam, I was recalling that tall big serve Croatian Goran Ivanisevic. Ivanisevic won his first Slam 13 years after he turned pro and after playing in more than 35 Slams.

&nbsp;

Wozniacki attained the top rank at the WTA way back in 2010 but then in August 2016, she hit a ranking as low as 74. In the second round match at the Australian Open she was 1-5 down in the final set and was facing two match points, but she showed nerves and staged an incredible comeback and never looked back. Considering this, her victory is unique. However it is to be seen that how her success will sustain in days to come, considering the volatility in Women&rsquo;s Tennis.

&nbsp;

But the bottom line remains that Australian Open would be known for one thing. It has delivered a clear verdict that Federer is immortal.&nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp; &nbsp;(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Roger Federer is the greatest because of his alluring and slick playing style.

At its zenith, the British Empire was so extensive that it was told, “this is the empire on which sun never sets”. So during the last two weeks when Roger Federer was demolishing best of Tennis talent from across the globe at Australian Open, this phrase was echoing in my mind. Here is the enigma called Federer, who is playing professional Tennis for the last two decades yet continues to be a world beater. We can say, just like the British Empire, the sun will never set on Federer's career. We need to realise, once upon a time deep in the past, Federer won his first Grand Slam. That was July 2003. Mark Zuckerberg was still writing codes of Facebook, Barack Obama was just an Illinois State Senator, our hero MS Dhoni was toiling to make a mark at national level Cricket, Android & smartphone did not exist and Apple hadn’t even conceptualized its first iPhone. In one of the most competitive, popular and demanding sports, in which men from across length and breadth of the globe are toiling hard to make a mark, maintaining a winning spree the at the top level, for so long, is unequivocally no less than a miracle. At the top of it, in the Australia Open of 2018, Federer stormed in his 30th Grand Slam final, without dropping a set. Till 2012, Federer had become, arguably, the greatest Tennis player of all times (GOAT) but the way he has propelled himself over the past 13 months, he is now even way beyond this 'GOAT' discussion. He is reaching a level when he is set to symbolise the very sports he has been representing for all those years. Federer is to Tennis, what Pele is to Football & Usain Bolt is to sprinting. With the 20th Grand Slam at Melbourne Park, Federer is at the unassailable summit. Federer is the only man in history who has won three Grand Slams at least five times. He won his 17th Grand Slam in 2012 (Wimbledon). The tally remained the same until the end of 2016. Even the most ardent of Federer’s fans started believing that it was for the love for the game that Federer was stuck to court and as such 17 would remain his final tally. But with Australian Open last year, Federer spun a huge surprise. His resurgence with a bang has been quite unique and epitomises his greatness. But let’s put number and statistics aside for a while, Federer is the greatest because of his alluring and slick playing style. The sign of greatest sportsperson is that they make things look so simple. If you see Shane Warne bowling and cueist Ronny ‘O’ Sullivan clearing snooker table, you would feel how simple it is to bowl a leg-break or play snooker. Federer is in this class. His movement on courts are so rhythmic and at the top of it, single-handed backhand with clinical precision is Federer’s biggest weapon. In fact, fluency in playing style is the secret of his longevity as his style is far less sapping on his body. Federer is the most complete player as Jimmy Connors once rightly described him “There are four kinds of players in Tennis, hard court specialist, grass court specialist, clay court specialist and Roger Federer”. He is such a perfect mixture of elegance, power and hard work that it is like Edberg, Sampras and Agassi rolled into one player. Marin Cilic deserves a mention too. Cilic had an unambiguous run till the final where he failed to conquer the big wall. With two finals in three Grand Slams, Cilic is nearing breakthrough and would be a player to watch in 2018. Women Tennis, on the contrary, is being driven by a pool of many players who are at par with each other. After Williams sisters and Belgian duo Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters, Women Tennis is still waiting for the next breakthrough player. There are many players on the WTA with 1 or 2 Slams under their belt but none ruling the roost. This is well manifested by the fact that at the Australian Open of 2018, top two seeded players were playing in the final for their first Grand Slam. Playing in her 43rd Grand Slam, when 2nd seeded Caroline Wozniacki was pumping her fist after winning her first Slam, I was recalling that tall big serve Croatian Goran Ivanisevic. Ivanisevic won his first Slam 13 years after he turned pro and after playing in more than 35 Slams. Wozniacki attained the top rank at the WTA way back in 2010 but then in August 2016, she hit a ranking as low as 74. In the second round match at the Australian Open she was 1-5 down in the final set and was facing two match points, but she showed nerves and staged an incredible comeback and never looked back. Considering this, her victory is unique. However it is to be seen that how her success will sustain in days to come, considering the volatility in Women’s Tennis. But the bottom line remains that Australian Open would be known for one thing. It has delivered a clear verdict that Federer is immortal. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: With 20th Grand Slam and counting, Federer is immortal

On 15th January, the first Grand Slam of 2018 Australian will start. The two legends of the game Rafael Nadal &amp; Roger Federer are sitting at the top two seeds in Men&rsquo;s singles.

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Since the last version of Australian Open was played, one year has gone past but the hangover of that epic and immortal final in Men&rsquo;s Singles doesn&rsquo;t cease to exist. Two greatest players of all times Federer and Nadal played in a high voltage final that year in Australian Open; which is one among the best ever match played in any Grand Slam and most watched match as well.

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Federer held nerves till the end and won this marathon clash in five sets. It was Tennis at its best, truly mesmerizing and intoxicating.&nbsp;

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The interesting point here is that Federer and Nadal went to Melbourne last year with their own set of problems and with persistent issues. Both were not at all on the list of favourites and were seeded 17th and 9th in the tournament respectively.

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By 2006, both Federer and Nadal had already achieved cult status in the game. No one would have perceived in 2006 that 11 years down the line, in 2017, Federer and Nadal would make a clean sweep by winning two Slams each and they will take top two seeding in opening Grand Slam of 2018. 10 years is a long period in competitive Tennis and maintaining a Grand Slam winning spree for such long period is a huge achievement. Federer and Nadal have truly redefined the word longevity in Men&rsquo;s Tennis.&nbsp;

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In the window spanning 2008-2017, the men ATP tour has actually been dominated by the big three: Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. Together they won 32 out of total 40 Grand Slams in this period. Federer is even more incredible, as he had won 12 Grand Slam till 2007 itself and 7 during past 10 years. Federer&rsquo;s first and last (19th) Grand Slam were 14 years apart, a feat which is truly incredible.&nbsp;

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The big three have been so impeccable that it has been for long now that Men&rsquo;s Tennis is waiting for its the next big star. Men&rsquo;s Tennis icons have a typical template; they make their arrival felt with a thumping sound in their teens or in the early twenties. Like Boris Becker with Wimbledon Title in 1985, Pete Sampras with US Open Title in 1990, Roger Federer with that iconic victory over Pete Sampras in 2001 Wimbledon. Last time such an entry was made by Djokovic in 2008 in Australian Open. Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka don&rsquo;t quite fit in this template despite three Grand Slams each for them, as success came little late for them and just after three Grand Slams each they are past their prime.&nbsp;

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So what would happen in this New Year at Australian Open? A new star would make headway to the title or one of these senior players will lift the title.

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This year situation is different as Andy Murray is out of action on health ground. Nadal and Djokovic are struggling with fitness issues. As of now, both are on for the tournament but uncertainties loom. Djokovic has been struggling ever since he won the French Open in 2016 on various front and he has himself admitted that he is not sure of his fitness in days to come. Nadal has been in a whirlwind form in 2017. At the age of 31, he finished the year 2017 with top rank (oldest ever to do so) but currently, his fitness is troubling him. Stan Wawrinka is reeling with this troubling knee and it is still unsure whether he can turn up for his 1st round match in Australian Open.&nbsp;

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In this situation, among all oldies, it looks like a smooth sailing for Federer who is eying his whopping 20th Grand Slam and 6th Australian Open.

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For those who are looking for the next big name in Men&rsquo;s Tennis, eyes are on 198 cms tall, current world number four and 20 years old German youngster Alexander Zverev.&nbsp; Though he has a mediocre Grand Slam record till date, he defeated Federer in 2017 Rogers Cup. Incidentally Zverev is 20 years of age right now; the age at which Pete Sampras, Federer and Djokovic arrived with a bang. So this may be Zverev&rsquo;s moment.

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Seeded third, the 26 years old Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov is a contender too. He lost out in the semi-final last year. Dimitrov won the Junior Wimbledon title in 2008 and has been active in ATP for many years. Success came him bit late but 2017 was an outstanding year for him

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This is a great chance for us to see a new winner at the Australian Open. Among the legends, there is only Roger Federer. So most likely it would be the 20th title for Roger Federer or a new star will come to the horizon at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne.

&nbsp;

But you never know. Australian Open sometimes gives surprising Champions like Petr Korda in 1998 and Thomas Johansson 2002. Let&rsquo;s wait until 28th January 2018.&nbsp; &nbsp;

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(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

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Either a new star would make headway to the title or one of these senior players will lift the title.

On 15th January, the first Grand Slam of 2018 Australian will start. The two legends of the game Rafael Nadal & Roger Federer are sitting at the top two seeds in Men’s singles. Since the last version of Australian Open was played, one year has gone past but the hangover of that epic and immortal final in Men’s Singles doesn’t cease to exist. Two greatest players of all times Federer and Nadal played in a high voltage final that year in Australian Open; which is one among the best ever match played in any Grand Slam and most watched match as well. Federer held nerves till the end and won this marathon clash in five sets. It was Tennis at its best, truly mesmerizing and intoxicating. The interesting point here is that Federer and Nadal went to Melbourne last year with their own set of problems and with persistent issues. Both were not at all on the list of favourites and were seeded 17th and 9th in the tournament respectively. By 2006, both Federer and Nadal had already achieved cult status in the game. No one would have perceived in 2006 that 11 years down the line, in 2017, Federer and Nadal would make a clean sweep by winning two Slams each and they will take top two seeding in opening Grand Slam of 2018. 10 years is a long period in competitive Tennis and maintaining a Grand Slam winning spree for such long period is a huge achievement. Federer and Nadal have truly redefined the word longevity in Men’s Tennis. In the window spanning 2008-2017, the men ATP tour has actually been dominated by the big three: Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. Together they won 32 out of total 40 Grand Slams in this period. Federer is even more incredible, as he had won 12 Grand Slam till 2007 itself and 7 during past 10 years. Federer’s first and last (19th) Grand Slam were 14 years apart, a feat which is truly incredible. The big three have been so impeccable that it has been for long now that Men’s Tennis is waiting for its the next big star. Men’s Tennis icons have a typical template; they make their arrival felt with a thumping sound in their teens or in the early twenties. Like Boris Becker with Wimbledon Title in 1985, Pete Sampras with US Open Title in 1990, Roger Federer with that iconic victory over Pete Sampras in 2001 Wimbledon. Last time such an entry was made by Djokovic in 2008 in Australian Open. Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka don’t quite fit in this template despite three Grand Slams each for them, as success came little late for them and just after three Grand Slams each they are past their prime. So what would happen in this New Year at Australian Open? A new star would make headway to the title or one of these senior players will lift the title. This year situation is different as Andy Murray is out of action on health ground. Nadal and Djokovic are struggling with fitness issues. As of now, both are on for the tournament but uncertainties loom. Djokovic has been struggling ever since he won the French Open in 2016 on various front and he has himself admitted that he is not sure of his fitness in days to come. Nadal has been in a whirlwind form in 2017. At the age of 31, he finished the year 2017 with top rank (oldest ever to do so) but currently, his fitness is troubling him. Stan Wawrinka is reeling with this troubling knee and it is still unsure whether he can turn up for his 1st round match in Australian Open. In this situation, among all oldies, it looks like a smooth sailing for Federer who is eying his whopping 20th Grand Slam and 6th Australian Open. For those who are looking for the next big name in Men’s Tennis, eyes are on 198 cms tall, current world number four and 20 years old German youngster Alexander Zverev. Though he has a mediocre Grand Slam record till date, he defeated Federer in 2017 Rogers Cup. Incidentally Zverev is 20 years of age right now; the age at which Pete Sampras, Federer and Djokovic arrived with a bang. So this may be Zverev’s moment. Seeded third, the 26 years old Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov is a contender too. He lost out in the semi-final last year. Dimitrov won the Junior Wimbledon title in 2008 and has been active in ATP for many years. Success came him bit late but 2017 was an outstanding year for him This is a great chance for us to see a new winner at the Australian Open. Among the legends, there is only Roger Federer. So most likely it would be the 20th title for Roger Federer or a new star will come to the horizon at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne. But you never know. Australian Open sometimes gives surprising Champions like Petr Korda in 1998 and Thomas Johansson 2002. Let’s wait until 28th January 2018. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: Will it be Roger Federer or a new star will arrive at Australian Open 2018