What will Day 2 in Acapulco do for an encore following Monday night’s madness? Rafael Nadal will try to keep his 2022 winning streak alive against lucky loser Denis Kudla, while Matteo Berrettini takes on American Tommy Paul.
(4) Rafael Nadal vs. (LL) Denis Kudla
Reigning Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal has a far less complicated first-round match then the original Acapulco draw promised. The No. 4 was slated to play Dallas champion and Delray Beach finalist Reilly Opelka. Instead, he will take on lucky loser and world No. 100 Denis Kudla.
Despite cohabiting the ATP tour since Kudla turned pro in 2010, this will be the first meeting between the two men. It’s not entirely surprising because Kudla rarely sees the business end of tournaments and is often forced to qualify, as he did this week. This is likely to be a favorable matchup for Nadal. First, the Spaniard hasn’t yet lost a match in 2022. He won the Australian Open tuneup event (also in Melbourne) and then took his 21st slam title a few weeks ago. Furthermore, Kudla is a dismal 1-4 in ATP-level matches so far this year. He did manage to qualify and win a first round match in Sydney, but that’s all he has to show for his efforts.
Expect a relatively straightforward win for the 35-year-old to bump him to 11-0 on the season.
Cheryl pick: Nadal in 2
Ricky pick: Nadal in 2
(5) Matteo Berrettini vs. Tommy Paul
Matteo Berrettini notched another Slam semifinal at the Australian Open a couple of weeks ago before falling to Nadal in four sets. Berrettini bowed out of the Rio event last week in the quarters at the hands of Carlos Alacaraz, who went on to win the tournament.
First-round opponent Tommy Paul had a good run to the semis last week in Delray Beach. The American was dispatched by Cam Norrie in straight sets. Some good news for Paul is that all of his matches last week were quick affairs, so fatigue should not be a factor at this point in Acapulco.
This is the first meeting between Berrettini and Paul. While there is no historic matchup data, this one should favor the Italian nicely. Berrettini has a monster first serve and the hard courts in Acapulco cater well to big servers.
Cheryl pick: Berrettini in 2
Ricky pick: Berrettini in 2
So Rafa is playing Acapulco because…baby turtles!
this is correct
??
I am all in for this as a reason to play although I don’t know what you are talking about!
🐢🐢🐢🐢
Amy – https://twitter.com/CMurray234/status/1495867849650356230
turtles are the only good thing that has happened in Acapulco
Haha..yes!
It’s a carnival of grotesque s
Yes. I almost hopped a plane for Acapulco myself (despite state department warnings NOT to travel to Acapulco alone) to see those turtles. <3
Awww!! Thanks Cheryl!😀😀
Imagine how many people will be looking up package hols to Acapulco now…
🐢🐢🐢🐢
WWW?
Berrettini is gone too..lol
Looks like ab issue again?
I wondered what happened to Berrettini.
I don’t think either Nadal or Opelka wanted to play each other in the 1st round anyway so it’s good all round that Opelka pulled out due to fatigue which is unstandable as he went straight to Dallas after the AO, won it then made the final in Delray Beach.
Opelka must have taken one look at the draw and decided the odds were he wouldn’t make it to the 2nd round so why bother going to Acapulco why not take a well earned rest before IW.
Breaking News:
https://twitter.com/AbiertoTelcel/status/1496392037746237440?s=20&t=T_oUGFTbc3FgJ1Vu_rqtcA
Video:
https://twitter.com/stateofsport211/status/1496372395690627077?s=20&t=7Y8heH-mAl5Fx-SLPZBxaQ
Video
https://twitter.com/stateofsport211/status/1496372395690627077?s=20&t=mk9i5j2B1-xghfEGyIu7Ug
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH7AyaUHqp4
That was absolutely appalling!
If anyone doubted Zverev is violent and hit his ex girlfriend they know now who he is.
Utterly sickening!
He should be banned from the next slam at least as punishment.
He nearly smashed the umpires legs!
He should be suspended for a long long time.
Nalbandian did similar but this was worse.
Nalbandian had no intent to harm the official. He kicked at an ad board in frustration. It shattered and cut the leg of the linesman standing behind it. Abuserev didn’t intend to harm the ump either but he certainly intended to intimidate him. Infantile behavior. I hope the ATP gives him a good long timeout, preferably with psychiatric treatment.
That’s exactly what I was saying in the comments on his singles victory.
It just shows how out of control he is that he would do this with an abuse allegation hanging over him. If people didn’t believe it before they will now.
He’s frightening…
amy,
Yes! This guy has a bad temper. One people did not believe his girlfriend when she gave an interview. It there is something wrong with him. He should be suspended.
SOME people did not believe his girlfriend!
Nny, really shocking stuff!
The umpire could easily have been injured..
But how do you know that for sure ? He could be under stress with all the allegations. Nothings proven. WHY should everyone believe his girlfriend? Im not saying he’s not guilty its the emotional and lack of head over heart thats wrong here.
AZ’s ex-gf did post quite a bit of evidence online and had some friends as witnesses, not to the attacks but aftermaths. I found her story convincing. A girl doesn’t run barefoot into the street from a hotel room in mid-Manhattan just for funsies. Abusers do most of their work in private so witnesses are hard to come by. Besides, what’s her motivation for lying? She wasn’t taking him to court or trying to get money from him. Women are far more likely to conceal abuse than fabricate it.
I was one of those who said innocent until proven guilty in relation to Zverev’s domestic violent abuse allegations but after what happened yesterday, I don’t doubt what he is capable of. I have long held the view that players who lose it on court, most certainly lose it at home.
That would be every tennis player at some point.
Ramara,
Thank you for standing up for his girlfriend. The problem is that there are no witnesses. So it’s the woman’s word against the man. It is so hard for women to come forward. I read her interview and found it very convincing.
I asked what was her motivation for lying. She did not try to have him prosecuted. She did not get any money from him. She had a lot more to lose by speaking out. He is a top tennis player with money and influence and fans.
As you said, women are more likely to hide it. I know from my own experience. Women do not lite about domestic abuse. Even nowadays they are risking being attacked, not believed, riduculed or dismissed.
Women do not LIE.
NNY, I agree with you that Zverev’s latest outburst lends some credibiliy to the domestic violence accusations of Zverev’s ex-girlfriend. I actually wrote the same today in another comment. He sure has a volatile temper, and I also found her detailed account credible. Jon Wertheim wrote about the case, and he also said that he was disturbed by the reported details.
However, NNY come on! Women do occasionally lie about these things and make false accusations for any number of reasons! And it’s not always about money! We had a very shocking case a couple of years ago here in Germany, where the ex-girlfriend of a prominent tv weather expert went as far as deliberately beating and cutting herself up with a kitchen knife in order to fake domestic violence. The guy lost his job and ended up in jail without bail for a couple of weeks, and he was tried for cutting up his ex-girlfriend! There were a number of red flags attached to the accusations from the get-go, but everybody was very eager to believe the woman, and they forgot to ask a few crucial questions! He was eventually acquitted because his attourneys secured the testimonies of medical experts who demonstrated that the alleged attack could not have happened as it had been reported by the woman. They also found a few witnesses who had seen the woman emotionally fine and unblemished shortly AFTER the alleged attack. She was later tried and convicted for her lies. Her motive: her boyfriend had been unfaithful and she might also have hoped for monetary gains.
I know, that it’s a huge problem for women to be taken seriously when there is no hard evidence. And unfortunately evidence is often hard to come by. But IMO throwing the presumption of innocence out of the window is not the right solution. And while the narrative of Zverev’s ex sounds credible, there are also a number of reasons why we should not just take her word for facts without asking a few questions. She went public with her accusations quite a while after the end of their relationship and just at a time when Zverev and his allegedly blissful relationship with his new girlfriend at the time were all over the German tabloids. It’s possible that Zverev’s ex needed some time to come to term with being a victim of domestic violence. But it’s also not impossible that she made up the accusations because she couldn’t cope seeing Zverev being happy with another woman. I am still enclined to believe her – but critical questions should be asked nevertheless.
The biggest risk is dying. When you leave, that is when the danger is greatest. Too many women have died.
amy,
It was disturbing. He repeatedly went after the chair umpire. Not just once. I saw the chair umpire move his feet because he was concerned about getting hit.
Zverev needs some help. I get why people did not initially believe his girlfriend. It’s something you don’t want to believe if you are a fan of the guy. But this shows the dark side of him. To deliberately go after someone like that with a racket is just scary.
Tennis needs to start taking allegations of domestic abuse seriously. Even in football here in the states they are starting to crack down.
When Novak hit the ball with his racket, he was not aiming at a specific person. It was an accident. He was rightly defaulted. But in this case there was an obvious intent to specifically go after the chair umpire more than once.
That is the thing I find so scary. Does it have to end up with someone getting hurt?
The incident with Novak wasn’t comparable nny!
I really think they have to throw the book at Zverev over this. Otherwise the sport will become tainted and lose credibility.
After what happened at the AO it’s starting to feel like a circus…
Also, if Zverev isn’t checked he’ll do it again! He’s out of control!
One of the most bizarre aspects is his going crazy about a point in doubles which is of absolutely zero importance to his career.
If he were in the final of a slam on a break point you could at least understand why he might get worked up.
But a point in a doubles match when he isn’t even a doubles player!?
He’s a walking time bomb.
amy,
That was my point. Novak was not comparable to this. It usually is a genuine accident. But this was different. They need to suspend him. Fines mean nothing to these players.
I read on VB that the ATP launched an internal investigation last October into allegations of domestic abuse made by Zverev’s girlfriend.
This guy has a serious problem.