This Australian Open will be different: Vishnu
Hyderabad: After a lot of uncertainty and delay to start, the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, gets underway in Melbourne from February 8. Indian Davis Cupper J Vishnu Vardhan said it is an event the tennis aficionados eagerly look to the start of the Grand Slam event.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has played havoc with all the schedules and the 14-day quarantine in Australia tested the players’ patience. It is a challenging time. Under the circumstances this Australian Open will be different. What is interesting is that the organisers have allowed the spectators into the stadium. This will be a big motivating factor for the players unlike the US Open which was played without a crowd,’’ said the 33-year-old.
Vishnu Vardhan said for the next two months there will be plenty of tennis in Australia. “The International Tennis Federation (ITF) came out with a good initiative to have a lot of tennis tournaments in Australia as other countries are hit by the pandemic. It will help the continuity of the game and help the players also, who are starved of tournaments. It will revive the career of many players,’’ he said.
The Hyderabad player said it is difficult to predict the winner in the Australian Open. “Looking at the heat factor and other aspects, I feel Dominic Thiem or Novak Djokovic could win the year’s first Grand Slam title. In the women’s category it is very difficult to name any player. But Serena (Williams) will be in quest of her 24th Grand Slam title. There are a lot of young players too,’’ he said.
He felt that Sumit Nagal in men’s singles has the best chance to reach the second round. “If he runs into a European player, he will have the advantage as he is more used to the heat conditions. The courts are slower than the US Open and it will suit Sumit’s style of play. It is already hot in Australia. Therefore, it will test the players, physically and mentally,’’ he said.
The Australian Open will be aired live on Sony Six, Sony Ten2, and Sony Ten 3 (in Hindi) channels from February 8.
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