Seventy years after turning into the youngest participant to win the Australian Open, tennis legend Ken Rosewall believes Nick Kyrgios can be a house slam champion.
Now 88, Rosewall nonetheless retains shut tabs on the sport and has adopted the stilted progress of Australia’s top-ranked man Kyrgios.
Like many, he is been pissed off to see Kyrgios not all the time maximize his potential however hopes the 27-year-old will rise to the event this yr after reaching the Wimbledon last and US Open quarters in 2022.
Rosewall was simply 18 when he lifted the Norman Brooks Problem Cup in 1953, the youngest-ever winner. He’s additionally the oldest Open champion, having received the foremost for a fourth time in 1972 at 37.
This yr’s Open coin, used within the toss earlier than every match, has been minted in his honor.
Rosewall has been crucial of a few of Kyrgios’ inflammatory on-court antics however nonetheless needs to see the mercurial star go all the way in which.
Seeded 19th, Kyrgios opens his match on Tuesday night time at John Cain Enviornment towards Russian Roman Safiullin.
“He hasn’t played a lot of tennis recently as a consequence of his accidents so that may not assist him an ideal deal however Nick is one participant who may rise to the event,” Rosewall mentioned on Sunday.
“Let’s hope so – Nick definitely has the power to win the match, however time will inform.
“The final consensus of the Australian tennis inhabitants is that they wish to see him play nicely and undergo.
“He is a ok participant to do it.”
Eye on Alex de Minaur
Eight-time main champion Rosewall can also be an enormous fan of Alex de Minaur, who has drawn Taiwanese qualifier Yu Hsiou Hsu in his first-round match on Tuesday night time.
“We’re on the lookout for Alex de Minaur to proceed together with his nice kind,” mentioned Rosewall, who now lives on the Gold Coast.
“He is had some nice wins just lately within the United Cup however he is nonetheless acquired to play very nicely, as Alex is aware of.
“However he is very eager and bettering his recreation.”
Males’s match favorites Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic each have clouds hanging over their Melbourne Park campaigns.
9-time Open champion Djokovic admitted he was nonetheless troubled by a hamstring harm suffered final week and had been unable to coach totally.
Defending champion Nadal seems susceptible with just one win from his past six matches relationship again to the US Open, together with a United Cup loss to de Minaur.
Seeded No.1 within the absence of injured compatriot Carlos Alcaraz, Nadal faces British younger gun Jack Draper on Monday on Rod Laver Enviornment.
“It is most likely one of many hardest first rounds doable, being seeded,” Nadal mentioned of the 21-year-old, who reached the semi-finals in Adelaide final week.
“He is younger, highly effective, rising very, very quick on the rankings, taking part in nicely.
“It is a massive problem for me at first to start out the match.
“I do know he is taking part in nicely – he has numerous optimistic issues, and doubtless an ideal profession forward.
“I hope to be able to struggle for that first spherical and let’s examine what can occur.”
-AAP
