2021 Australian Open First Round – Laslo Djere vs Rafael Nadal Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
Where is Laslo Djere vs Rafael Nadal taking place? Melbourne Park, Melbourne
When is Laslo Djere vs Rafael Nadal on and what time does it start? Tuesday 9th February, 2021 – not before 02:30 (UK)
Where can I get tickets for Laslo Djere vs Rafael Nadal? Click here to reach the official 2021 Australian Open ticket selection
What channel is Laslo Djere vs Rafael Nadal on? The 2021 Australian Open will be televised on Eurosport so it is worth checking their schedule for this specific match
Where can I stream Laslo Djere vs Rafael Nadal in the UK? Sky customers can stream this match on the Sky Go app. Alternatively, the match can be streamed to subscribers of Eurosport Player, either on the official website or as an add-on to an Amazon Prime subscription
THE LOWDOWN
LASLO DJERE
- World number 56 Laslo Djere has lost both his matches so far in 2021 to much lower-ranked players at the Antalya Open and last week’s Great Ocean Road Open.
- The 25-year-old faces the unenviable task of playing Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open and the Serb owns a pretty ropey 4-12 record at Grand Slams, with a third round loss at Roland-Garros in 2019 his best showing to date.
RAFAEL NADAL
- 34-year-old Rafael Nadal has not played a competitive match since his defeat to eventual ATP Finals champion Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals of the season-ending tournament last November.
- The world number two pulled out of the ATP Cup last week with a worrying shoulder issue and it remains to be seen if he can recover in time to go deep into this Grand Slam.
THE PREDICTION
2009 Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal drew level with Roger Federer on 20 Grand Slam titles last season when he won the delayed Roland-Garros in October. He has not fared as well as Federer and Novak Djokovic in Melbourne over the years and it seems he has a worrying shoulder injury to contend with as he enters this tournament cold having pulled out of the ATP Cup. He has been somewhat fortunate in the draw, then, as he faces Laslo Djere for the first time with the 25-year-old Serb in no form at all but it could be worth holding off on this match to see if the Spaniard can stay fit throughout it. If he is fit and firing, this looks like nothing else but a straight-sets bulldozing from Nadal as he is wont to do in the early rounds of slams.
