Italy will also take the Adelaide ATP 250 stage from Tuesday 3 January. After the good performances shown by the Italian team in the United Cup, with Matteo Berrettini and Lorenzo Musetti super focused on continuing the adventure of the team in the competition, now it will be the turn of Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Sonego to open the dances this season 2023.
The debuts are undoubtedly different for the two athletes: the player from Turin 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 a close adversary. like the British Kyle. Edmund, former world number 14 but returning from a long knee injury (with consequent operation).
Novak Djokovic’s first match of the year will also be played in the Australian city, who will debut against Frenchman Constant Lestienne to immediately familiarize himself with the surface. The Serbian champion appears to be in fine form, 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 it left off (he managed to win the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin in late 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 win 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 no earlier than 4.
Then the Canadians 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 Australian Open CEO Paul McNamee.
«It’s good to see Novak Djokovic back on the 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 that is often overlooked.
Welcome back Novak,» wrote Paul McNamee on his social media. “I think winning 10 sounds special. The only other man to have won 10 [at a Grand Slam event] It’s Rafa in France, so I think he’s going to put a lot of effort into getting a 10th Australian Open, especially after last year,» McNamee said.
