Australian Open 2024: Garcia cuts short the Osaka return to school, Mannarino asserts his status

Garcia fait tourner court la rentrée d'Osaka MAXPPP – JOEL CARRETT

Courte rentrée pour Naomi Osaka, ancienne N.1 mondiale, de retour en Grand Chelem six mois après avoir donné naissance à sa fille, a chuté d'entrée à l'Open d'Australie face à Caroline Garcia lundi soir.

Daniil Medvedev, world No.3, and Stefanos Tsitsipas, outgoing finalist, each lost a set before returning for good to their Australian fortnight.

His major comeback only lasted for one match on the night in Melbourne. Entrance in a golden bomber-style jacket and helmet screwed onto the ears on the Rod Laver Arena, Osaka left after less than an hour and a half of match, dominated by Garcia 6-4, 7-6 ( 7/2), for his return to the Grand Slam after fifteen months out of action.

Before her pregnancy, the 26-year-old Japanese had first taken up tennis for the sake of her faltering mental health. The four-time Grand Slam winner returned to competition in early 2024 in Brisbane (Australia), where she lost in her second match (against Pliskova). The Australian Open was only his second tournament.

Caroline Garcia cuts Osaka's return to school short JOEL CARRETT/EPA/MaxPPP – JOEL CARRETT

At the time of the draw, “I felt a little unlucky to be honest,” Garcia admitted. But I also play tennis for matches like that, I know I will remember them in many years."

Daniil Medvedev jet

If her shot quality and her serve remain formidable, Osaka lacked regularity in the exchange, and liveliness and mobility, to worry Garcia. The proof: she didn't get any break points throughout the match.

In this duel of hitters, the 19th player in the world and No.1 French player broke to lead 3 games to 2 in the first set. Then she made the difference in the deciding game in the second.

The tension was nevertheless at its peak for Garcia. "I was so anxious, I was just trying to breathe", she replied, when asked about her game plan. Her next opponent will be the Polish Magdalena Frech (69th ).

Daniil Medvedev is tennis. Tennis is Daniil Medvedev. pic.twitter.com/qQDApuoQiC

— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) January 15, 2024

For his first match in 2024, Medvedev took advantage of the cramps which assailed his first opponent, the young French qualifier Terence Atmane, and led him to the ;abandonment at the start of the fourth set.

"An overdose of stress": this is how Atmane (144th), who was playing his first Grand Slam match, explained the cramps which overtook him while' #39;he competed with the former world No.1, ultimately winning in just over two and a half hours (5-7, 6-2, 6-4, 1-0).< /p>

Adrian Mannarino long version

"It wasn't the harshest conditions I've experienced, but for the past week it hadn't been really warm. With the tension, the heat, physically it's not easy. I'm happy to have been the strongest physically, it wasn't easy at one point, says Medvedev.

Adrian Mannarino got the better of Stan Wawrinka. MAXPPP – MAST IRHAM

Like Medvedev, Tsitsipas had a false start before regaining control against the Belgian Zizou Bergs (129th), drafted at the last minute, finally dominated 5-7, 6-1, 6-1, 6 -3.

World No.4 and winner of her first major title at the 2023 US Open, Coco Gauff successfully returned to the Grand Slam, without delay. One hour sharp and her qualification for the second round was acquired at the expense of the Slovak Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (68th), ejected 6-3, 6-0. "I freed myself and everything fell into place", summarizes the American teenager. Ons Jabeur (67 minutes) and Elina Svitolina (59 minutes) didn't hang around either.

At 35, Adrian Mannarino demonstrated his new status as a member of the top 20 (19th) by escaping the trap set by Stan Wawrinka, former world No.3 now 56th, in five sets 6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-0.

Énorme balle de match et la célébration qui va avec pour Luca Van Assche, auteur de sa première victoire à Melbourne 👏 #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/44jzFLV5bF

— Eurosport France (@Eurosport_FR) January 15, 2024

Like his elder, the hopeful Luca Van Assche (19 years old, 79th) overthrew the Australian guest James Duckworth 6-7 (2/7), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

The two Frenchmen battled for more than three and a half hours under the Australian dodger.

"I didn't expect the conditions to be so difficult, I was a little surprised by the sun, the heat, it&#39s “was complicated,” admits Mannarino, who was seen spraying his bald head with sunscreen and even feeling some cramps.