Slovak tennis player Alex Molčan made it to the 2nd round of singles at the Australian Open grand slam tournament.
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Photo: TASR/AP, Hamish Blair
Alex Molčan in the 1st round of the Australian Open.
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In the premiere in the main competition in Melbourne, he defeated the Russian “lucky loser” Roman Safjulllin 6: 3, 7: 6 (9), 5: 7, 7: 6 (6).
The best Slovak singer was originally to compete against the eighth seed Casper Ruud, but Nora resigned from the tournament due to a member’s injury.
Molčan learned about the opponent’s change at the last minute, but it did not distract him. At the beginning of the duel with Safjullin, he built a 3-0 lead after a quick break and the first set became his loot.
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In the second act, the Russian led 5: 2, but Molčan managed to equalize at 5: 5 and force the secretary. Karol Beck’s protégé did not use three sets in it at 6: 3, but in the dramatic ending he finally celebrated success.
The fate of the third set was decided by Safjullin’s break at 5: 5. Molčan then asked for a medical time out and had his thigh treated.
In the fourth act he had the upper hand again, in the eighth game he broke the opponent’s serve and in the state of 5: 3 he went to serve for the victory in the match. However, Sajfullin countered the ribs, equalized to 5: 5 and the decision was made in the secretary.
In his introduction, Molčan bounced back to Rus to 5: 1, but he turned 6: 5 and had a match. However, the Slovak Davis Cup national team subsequently won three balls in a row.
A big fair play gesture also took place in the match. After one of the cramps, Molčan remained lying on the court and Safjulllin helped him to his feet. Fans of Russians on social networks applaud:
Incredible scenes as Alex Molcan beats Roman Safiullin 6-3, 7-6(9), 5-7, 7-6(6).
Molcan won the match despite cramping badly in the final tie-break (which he initially led 5-1). Fell to the court & couldn’t get up after somehow winning the match, so Safiullin helped him up ❤️ pic.twitter.com/OJ6H5son2a
— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) January 18, 2022
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The Spaniard Pablo Andujar is waiting for Molčana in the 2nd round.
Norbert Gombos fought his way to the Australian Open for the first time.
In the opening round in the duo of two qualifiers, Kazakh defeated Timofej Skatov 6: 3, 6: 2, 1: 6, 6: 4. His next opponent will be the finalist from 2018 Croatian Marin Čilič set as number 27.
In the first two sets of the match with Skatov, Gombos benefited from quality service and was able to use breakballs at important moments. In the third act, the Kazakh player mobilized and gained it clearly in his favor.
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He led 4: 2 in the fourth set, but Gombos played four games in a row in the next few minutes and crossed the first hurdle in Melbourne on the fourth attempt.
In the 2nd round, Čilič awaits him, with whom he played an even match at the US Open in 2020, but in the end he lost in four sets. On Tuesday in Croatia, the Croatian defeated Ecuadorian Emilio Gomez 6: 3, 6: 1, 6: 2.
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Last year’s Russian finalist Daniil Medvedev won the opening round as a second two over Swiss Henri Laaksonen 6: 1, 6: 4, 7: 6 (3).
“I’m glad I managed it in three sets. I believed in the secret. He had a great start to the season last year. After winning the ATP Cup, I managed to advance to the finals at the Australian Open.
Now I will try to take it even further. I’m playing well here, the hard surface on the courts in Melbourne suits me, “said last year’s US Open champion in the first post-match interview.
After a three-year break, the Briton Andy Murray returned to Melbourne Park and advanced to the 2nd round after a five-hundred-meter drama. The holder of the free card eliminated the deployed twenty-unit of the Georgian Nikolos Basilashvili 6: 1, 3: 6, 6: 4, 6: 7 (5), 6: 4.
“It’s great to be in Melbourne again. I’ve had three or four difficult years. I said goodbye to this tournament in January 2019. There was a risk that I would have to end my career due to hip problems, I had to go to surgery after the Australian Open .
I am very pleased to have been able to return to Rod Laver’s arena and to have won a five-fifth. It couldn’t have turned out more beautifully. I played on this court many times and the atmosphere was always fantastic, “said a moved Murray.
The 13th-seated Argentine Diego Sebastian Schwartzman dealt with the Serb Filip Krajinovič 6: 3, 6: 4, 7: 5. Then there is the fifth Russian Rusj Rubľov after the triumph 6: 3, 6: 2, 6: 2 over the Italian Gianluca Mager.
Men’s Singles – Round 1:
Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN-9) – Emil Ruusuvuori (FIN) 6: 4, 0: 6, 3: 6, 6: 3, 6: 4, Daniel Evans (V.-Brit.-24) – David Goffin (Belg.) 6: 4, 6: 3, 6: 0, Taylor Fritz (USA-20) – Maximilian Marterer (DEU) 7: 6 (8), 6: 3, 6: 2, Andy Murray (V. Brit.) – Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO-21) 6: 1, 3: 6, 6: 4, 6: 7 (5), 6: 4, Benoit Paire (Fr.) – Thiago Monteiro (BRA) 6: 4, 3: 6, 7: 5, 2: 6, 7: 5, Taro Daniel (JPN) – Tomas Barrios Vera (Chile) 7: 6 (5), 6: 1, 6: 1, Tomas Machac (CZE) ) – Juan Manuel Cerundolo (ARG) 6: 3, 2: 6, 6: 4, 6: 2, Maxime Cressy (USA) – John Isner (USA-22) 7: 6 (2), 7: 5, 6 : 7 (4), 6: 7 (4), 6: 4, Pablo Andujar (Šp.) – Damir Džumhur (BaH) 6: 1, 7: 5, 6: 1, Ricardas Berankis (Lit.) – Roberto Carballes Baena (Sp.) 6: 1, 3: 6, 2: 6, 6: 3, 6: 4, Steve Johnson (USA) – Jordan Thompson (Austr.) 7: 6 (5), 6: 7 (6) , 4: 6, 6: 3, 6: 3, Daniil Medvedev (Rus.-2) – Henri Laaksonen (Švajč.) 6: 1, 6: 4, 7: 6 (3), Jannik Sinner (Tal.-11 ) – Joao Sousa (Portugal) 6: 4, 7: 5, 6: 1, Grigor Dimitrov (Bul.-26) – Jiří Lehečka (CZE) 6: 4, 4: 6, 6: 3, 7: 5, Andrej Rubľov (RUS.-5) – Gianluca Mager (ITA) 6: 3, 6: 2, 6: 2, Richard Gasquet (Fr.) – Ugo Humbert (Fr.-29) 3: 6, 7: 6 (4), 7: 6 (3), 6: 3, Diego Sebastian Schwartzman (ARG-13) – Filip Krajinovič (SRB) 6: 3, 6: 4, 7: 5, Marin Čilič (Chor.- 27) – Emilio Gomez (ECU) 6: 3, 6: 1, 6: 2, Botic van de Zandschulp (NLD) – Jan-Lennard Struff (DEU) 6: 4, 6: 3, 6: 2, Philipp Kohlschreiber (DEU) – Marco Cecchinato (ITA) 6: 4, 7: 5, 7: 6 (0), Christopher O’Connell (Austr.) – Hugo Gaston (Fr.) 7: 6 (4), 6: 0, 4: 6, 6: 1, Roberto Bautista Agut (Sp.-15) – Stefano Travaglia (ITA) 7: 6 (2), 6: 4, 5: 7, 6: 1.
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