Italy will also take the stage at the Adelaide ATP 250 starting Tuesday, January 3. After the good performances shown by the Italian team in the United Cup, with Matteo Berrettini and Lorenzo Musetti super focused on continuing the team’s adventure in the competition, now it will be the turn of Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Sonego to open the dances in this 2023 season.
The debuts are undoubtedly different for the two athletes: the Turin player will immediately have to deal with the Russian Daniil Medvedev, former world number one and experienced player on concrete, while the South Tyrolean will start with an adversary close at hand like the British Kyle Edmund, former number 14 in the world but who is returning from a long injury (with the consequent operation) on his knee.
The first game of the year for Novak Djokovic will also be played in the Australian city, who will debut against the Frenchman Constant Lestienne to immediately familiarize himself with the surface. The Serbian champion seems to be in good shape, which is also confirmed by Sinner’s own statements, and he will be looking to make his mark immediately to pick up his career where he left off (he managed to win the Nitto Atp Finals in Turin at the end of 2022).
Starting at one in Italy, Daniil Medvedev and Lorenzo Sonego will open the program on center court. Next, Novak Djokovic will take the stage to claim his first victory of the year. Next, the Belarusian Victoria Azarenka will close the morning session.
Starting at 8:30 there will be an interesting match between Roberto Bautista Agut and the Russian Andrey Rublev, before the duel between Ostapenko and Pliskova. On track 1 the match between Jannik Sinner will take place, scheduled not before 4.
Then the Canadian Denis Shapovalov and Andy Murray will debut, who will face the young American Sebastian Korda.
Paul McNamee praises Djokovic
Novak Djokovic’s arrival was welcomed with open arms by former CEO of the Australian Open, Paul McNamee.
“Good to see Novak Djokovic back on court in Australia. After all, he finished 2022 as the best player on the planet, arguably the most complete athlete in the world and, as a person, with a holistic approach and generosity of spirit which is often overlooked.
Welcome back Novak,” Paul McNamee wrote on his social media. “I think winning 10 has a special ring to it. The only other man who’s won 10 [at a Grand Slam event] is Rafa at the French, so I think he’ll be going hard to get a 10th Australian Open, especially after last year,” McNamee said.
