Australian Open Day 1 Essentials: Melbourne Weather and Lebanese Tennis Legacy

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Welcome to the Australian Open briefing, where LesNews brings you the stories behind the highlights of each day of the tournament.

For the first days of the event, storms and lightning marked the beginnings, while thrilling duels took place under the roofs and a star of the 2024 edition began his journey.

There’s still more Tennis to come, but here’s what happened in your sleep.

And the training courts in all this?

During the first hours of this first day, the training courts were particularly lively.

With a relatively unattractive schedule, fans flocked to the outdoor courts to catch a glimpse of some of their favorite players. When the matches began on the small courts at 11 a.m. and on the main courts at 11:30 a.m., the stands of Courts 16 and 17 were packed with supporters watching low-stakes exchanges.

Local Alex de Minaur and last year’s finalist Daniil Medvedev faced off on Court 17, while Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani practiced on Court 16. Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner were also scheduled to take the stage in the next hour, with Iga Swiatek who had a slot soon on Court 10.

A palpable atmosphere reigned.

“It’s a great opportunity to see what goes on behind the scenes,” said George, 29, from Melbourne, noting that part of the appeal was watching the biggest players in action. .

“I’m not leaving this area anytime soon,” said Emmanuel, 25, who works for the government health department, eager to see Alcaraz in action. Two Dutch friends, Davie, 22, and Wouter, 23, traveling in Australia, had tickets to the Rod Laver Arena but decided to leave their seats empty for now, preferring to follow De Minaur and Medvedev before hoping see Alcaraz.

Melbourne wealth manager Sarah, who was attending the tournament with her husband and children, also had tickets to the Rod Laver Arena, but for now she and her family were enjoying De Minaur’s session with Medvedev. She noted that the atmosphere was that of a real match, and the screams accompanying a particularly intense exchange attested to the commitment of the fans present.

All this illustrates that at the Australian Open and the US Open in particular, there is much more going on than just matches. There is music, entertainment, and even a bar area on Court 16 which gives the event a festive atmosphere as much as a tennis show.

Given the light schedule and the rain which interrupted the games from noon until around 6:30 p.m., everyone needed a little boost. The popularity of these outdoor courts also underlined the appeal of the big stars, whose practices were just as captivating as the matches taking place elsewhere at Melbourne Park.

Charlie Eccleshare

How many other milestones for Lebanese tennis from Hady Habib?

Tennis players dream of many things, but perhaps there is nothing more desirable than qualifying for your first Grand Slam, followed by a victory at that same tournament.

For 26-year-old Hady Habib, the Australian Open is where those dreams took shape — but it carried with it the hopes of an entire country.

Habib, who represented Lebanon at the 2024 Paris Olympics, this week became the first Lebanese player to qualify for a Grand Slam in the Open era. And now, he is the first Lebanese man to win a match at a major tournament, after beating Bu Yunchaokete 7-6(4), 6-4, 7-6(8).

Lebanese flags adorned Court 13 and Habib waved one in victory. With this historic victory, he sets his sights on his next goal.

“I think it would be better if I played on a bigger court,” he said during his press conference.

“So more Lebanese people could come and see me play.”

James Hansen

Striking matches despite the storm?

As the rain still fell and the daytime session concluded on the Margaret Court Arena, there was a moment when the Australian Open action came down to Casper Ruud versus Jaume Munar and Kei Nishikori versus Thiago Monteiro .

Fortunately, these two matches ended in five-set fights, providing a bit of spectacle in the middle of an afternoon where rain threatened to tarnish the atmosphere of the “happy slam”.

On the Rod Laver Arena, Ruud managed to win 6-3, 1-6, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 against Munar, a clay court specialist who had already beaten him during their single previous encounter on hard.

For his part, Nishikori did what he has been doing for a decade, holding on to his opponent to win in five sets. His 4-6, 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-2, 6-3 victory marks 29 wins against 8 losses in five-set matches, and 8-1 at the Australian Open. Nishikori had 19 break points, but Monteiro was able to save 14 with impressive serves and had two match points that he couldn’t convert.

For Ruud, the win keeps him on track to surpass the record set by his father and coach Christian in Melbourne. The latter reached the fourth round, which Casper also managed, but never went further.

“I’ve had much better results in most of the other tournaments, so this is kind of the last one left,” Casper said on court.

“I hope I can top that one day, but I’m glad he at least has a record in the family.”

The senior Ruud was not asked for his opinion.

Charlie Eccleshare

What are the limits for Mirra Andreeva?

The continued evolution of Mirra Andreeva constitutes one of the great stories of tennis today.

Two years before, she caused a sensation at the Madrid Open, knocking out players in the top 30, admiring Andy Murray and expressing her enthusiasm on social media. Since then, Andreeva, who spent her childhood in Siberia before moving to Sochi, then France, has matured and sharpened her game on the court. Although she is not imposing, the certainty of her shots and her developing determination far exceed her 17 years.

All that was on display Sunday as she overcame a sluggish start to beat Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic, 6-3, 6-3, in a victory that seemed oddly routine and expected, even though ranked Andreeva No. 14, is only 17 years old. Andreeva has always been able to assert herself where others might have hesitated.

No one would dare say that it is not exactly where it should be.

“I don’t feel like a new player on the tour,” she said after her victory over Bouzkova.

“I kind of feel like I’m here now. Even before then, playing at Roland Garros and at Wimbledon in 2024, I was still trying to prove to people that I belong here, that I can play with you, and that this is my place.

“Now I feel like everyone already knows this. I’m a WTA player, so I’m here, I’m doing my job and I’m enjoying what I’m doing.”

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Mirra Andreeva looks set for a stellar run in Melbourne. (Martin Keep/AFP via Getty Images)

Matt Futterman

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(Photo en haut : Getty Images ; design : Eamonn Dalton)