Tennis fans are in for a treat on Saturday as Day 3 of the United Cup sees Rafael Nadal and Iga Swiatek headline an exciting slate of action.
For 22-time Grand Slam singles champion Nadal it will serve as a welcome warm-up as the Spaniard looks to defend his Australian Open crown.
As for Swiatek, she will arrive at Melbourne Park with even higher expectations than last year as world number one and with Ash Barty out of the picture.
Nadal said he was raring to go again with a clash first up at the United Cup against British world number 14 Cameron Norrie, set for no later than 3.30pm at Ken Rosewall Arena.
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“The highest motivation to try to start well. It’s always important to start well for me, for the confidence,” he said.
“The last few months haven’t been easy for me. Main thing for me now is recover the positive feelings on court, being competitive. I hope to. I am ready to make that happen, but let’s see.”
Nadal played his first Australian Open in 2004. He is now a father, and with a history of injuries he was asked ahead of the United Cup if this could be his last trip to Australia.
“As a professional, you never know, hopefully not,” he said.
“I mean, when you are at the age of 36, you never know when it’s going to be the last one. It’s obvious, but I don’t like to talk about that because I am not in that mood now.
“I’m just focused on trying to play at the highest level possible and give myself possibilities to keep being competitive, to fight for anything. That’s my goal now.
“I’m not thinking about it being my last time here. I am happy doing what I am doing. I’m looking forward to keep doing this.”
As for Swiatek, she said Wednesday she will put a breakthrough 2022 season behind her to concentrate on staying at the pinnacle of the women’s game.
The Polish star won eight singles titles, including the French and US Opens, in a stellar season that saw her take a commanding position at the top of the rankings, well clear of second-placed Ons Jabeur of Tunisia.
Poland get their United Cup underway in Brisbane on Saturday against Kazakhstan with Swiatek taking on Yulia Putintseva in the opening rubber.
The 21-year-old inherited the number one spot with the shock retirement of Barty in March, but has since made it her own.
“I’m going to try to kind of cut off everything that happened last year and just focus on the future, because I feel like I can take a lot of experience from these tournaments last year,” she said ahead of the United Cup in Brisbane.
“I don’t want to really like hold on to that too much, because I want to go forward and kind of focus on my next goals.”
Swiatek admitted she had mixed emotions when she became number one after Barty’s retirement, not sure that she deserved it.
“At first I felt like I wasn’t sure if this is kind of my place to be,” she said.
“Ash, she seemed like a huge role model for everybody in terms of her behaviour on court but also off court so I felt like she really set the bar pretty high.
“I need to show it to people but also show it to myself that I’m in the right place.
“I’m super proud of myself,” she added. “I feel a huge satisfaction, because I have been working my whole life to get to this point. I didn’t really think it’s possible for me.
“Even right now I feel like there is a lot I can change and improve.”
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Earlier, Germany’s Alexander Zverev suffered an upset defeat in his first tour-level match since suffering an ankle injury at Roland Garros.
Former world number two Zverev went down in straight sets 6-4, 6-2 to Czech Republic’s Jiri Lehecka, with Germany now trailing 1-0 in the tie.
“One of the biggest wins of his career, if not the biggest for Lehecka as he gets the Czech Republic up and running against Germany in what ultimately ended being a relatively straightforward victory,” Mark Petchey said in commentary, per Wide World of Sports.
“We knew there was going to be tough times ahead for Zverev on his comeback from ankle surgery. He’s been away from the tour since May (and) Lehecka has taken full advantage of that.
“But also he has managed to produce a performance out here, the 21-year- old, that has surpassed anything that perhaps we were expecting.”
Jule Niemeier will look to even things up when she takes on Marie Bouzkova soon after.
DAY 3 SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
Sydney, Ken Rosewall Arena
Germany vs. Czech Republic (Group C)
Jiri Lehecka (CZE) def. Alexander Zverev (GER) — 6-4, 6-2
Jule Niemeier (GER) vs. Marie Bouzkova, to follow
Spain vs. Great Britain (Group D)
Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. Cameron Norrie (GBR), 3.30pm
Nuria Parrizas Diaz (ESP) vs. Katie Swan (GBR), to follow
Perth, RAC Arena
Belgium vs. Bulgaria (Group A)
Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL) vs. Isabella Shinikova (BUL), 10am
David Goffin (BEL) vs. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL), to follow
Croatia vs. Argentina (Group F)
Donna Vekic (CRO) vs. Maria Carle (ARG), 3.30pm
Borna Coric (CRO) vs. Francisco Cerundolo (ARG), to follow
Brisbane, Pat Rafter Arena
Brazil vs. Norway (Group E)
Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA) def. Ulrikke Eikeri (NOR) — 6-4, 6-2
Felipe Meligeni Alves (BRA) vs. Viktor Durasovic (NOR), to follow
Poland vs. Kazakhstan (Group B)
Iga Swiatek (POL) vs. Yulia Putintseva (KAZ), 3.30pm
Daniel Michalski (POL) vs. Timofey Skatov (KAZ), to follow
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