Roberto Bautista Agut: The unsung hero of 2019 Australian Open
The beauty of Grand Slam events in the history of tennis lies in the fact that each of these major events enrich us with stories in abundance.
Some are altogether fresh stories while some of them are revised versions of the stories of old. While some stories attain legendary status, others mesmerize us with smaller details, little of which we are aware if those wouldn't have happened.
And the first slam of 2019 is no different as it has thrown in a few surprises alongside showcasing emergence of new blood and resurgence of old foes.
While the sensational run of two young guns in Stefanos Tsitsipas and Frances Tiafoe has stolen the show so far in the ongoing Australian Open, the story of the old warrior, Roberto Bautista Agut, who is perhaps at the wrong side of his age, is nothing short of spectacular and he has certainly become the unsung hero of this year’s Australian Open.
The Spaniard, who will turn 31 this year, has his name in the list of quarter-finalists at the Aussie Open, and for the first time in his career, has made this far in a Grand Slam.
Such has been the legendary dominance of Rafael Nadal over the years that other Spanish players, even though they are present in large numbers, hardly get a chance to feature in headlines, as they are vanquished in the shadows of the mighty champion.
But, Bautista Agut, relieving himself from the injuries and disappointments of the past, has managed to spur a new lease of life as he looks forward to lock horns against Stefanos Tsitsipas in the one of the quarter-final clashes at Melbourne Park.
The tale of the Spaniard so far has not been just about the victories but more about going through the process, enjoying the journey, pushing through the pain & suffering and taking the game one point at a time.
In his very first match, he crossed swords against none other than Andy Murray. And even though Andy was potentially playing on one leg, the psychological factor of playing against one of the most decorated player of the sport was against him.
But he held his nerves when it mattered and won the contest in five long, grueling sets. Recovering from these five-setters is never easy, and while the Spaniard was barely recovering in time, he once again had to earn his next win the hard way, this time against the local lad John Millman, and that too in five sets.
In his third round clash, Bautista Agut came across the next gen star Karen Khachanov. A potential dark horse of the tournament, a guy who is swift on the court and the one who can serve big, Khachanov was a tricky assignment for the man from Spain. However, much to the Spaniard’s relief, he got past the Russian in straight sets.
The next in line for the current world no. 22 was sixth seeded Marin Cilic, perhaps the sternest test so far for Bautista Agut.
With his nose in front at two sets to one, the Spaniard was in no mood to squander this golden opportunity of booking a berth in the quarter-final of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career.
And even though the runner-up of last year’s event forced the match into the deciding set, a crucial break in the ninth game of the final set was good enough for Bautista Agut to keep his golden run alive.
The dream run of Roberto Bautista Agut at the age of 30 is not only significant for himself but also a source of inspiration for all those who feel themselves to have stuck in mid and quarter-life crises.
His story so far at the Australian Open is a ray of hope, especially for all the millennials, asking them to push themselves in times of pain, highlighting the fact that there is always a shining light even at the end of darkest of the tunnels.
And what’s more, if indeed, Bautista Agut manages to go past the Greek sensation Tsitsipas and Nadal defeats the young promising American, Frances Tiafoe, in the quarter-finals, we have an interesting prospect of an all-Spanish semi-final once again, exactly ten years later, when Rafael Nadal defeated his friend and compatriot Fernando Verdasco, in what was a scintillating semi-final at the Rod Laver Arena in the year 2009.