Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Bad start: on Australian Open build-up

Bad start: on Australian Open build-up

The Djokovic visa controversy seems to have marred (spoil, ruin, destroy, impair) the run-up to the Australian Open

In recent times, the season-opening Australian Open has been played against sobering (बुद्धिमत्ता, गंभीर / समझदार) backdrops (पृष्ठभूमि, स्थिति, परिदृश्य). If in 2020 the unprecedented (अभूतपूर्व, अद्वितीय) bushfires (an unplanned & uncontrolled forest fire) marred the build-up (बनाया, वृद्धि होना), in 2021 it was the turn of COVID-19 lockdown (an emergency protocol implemented by the authorities that prevents people from leaving from a place; An extended state of confinement/encirclement/isolation of a person by the authority) restrictions to suffocate (stifle, choke; suppress, smother, restrain) players. Nothing however compares to the saga that unfolded (उधेड़ना, खोलना, विकसित होना, घटित होना) for 10 long days leading into the 2022 edition, which began on Monday. World No.1 Novak Djokovic, a nine-time winner in Melbourne, had his visa cancelled and was jettisoned (remove, drop, discard, abandon, throw out/away, get rid of) over his decision to remain unvaccinated (टीकारहित). Australia’s high inoculation (immunization, vaccine, shot) rates have been credited (श्रेय, स्तुति करना, प्रशंसा करना) for keeping its death rate low despite an ongoing (चलता हुआ, जारी, अंतहीन) surge (तरंग, लहर) in cases. In such a setting (स्थिति, पृष्ठभूमि, समायोजन), the presence of an unvaccinated star, who has also not displayed COVID-appropriate behaviour in the past, was a tough sell (disappointment). With Roger Federer also absent, the main drawcard is now Rafael Nadal, the only former Australian Open men’s singles champion in the fray (प्रतियोगिता, प्रतिस्पर्धा). The Spaniard (A native of Spain) is locked with Federer and Djokovic on 20 Majors and can take sole possession of the record for most Grand Slam (it is also referred to as majors, are the world’s four most important annual tennis events. The Grand Slam consists of the Australian Open in Melbourne, French Open in Paris, Wimbledon in London, and the U.S Open in New York) men’s singles titles with his second trophy Down Under. But by his own admission (प्रवेश, स्वीकृति, मान्यता), Nadal is not in Slam-winning form, though he won a tournament last week in his first competitive appearance since last August. If the 35-year-old rediscovers his mojo (magic power, magic spell, magic formula) to erase (मिटाना, हटाना) the pain of having lost four finals in Australia, it will be an achievement befitting (अनुकूल होना, उपयुक्त हो) his storied (famed, fabulous, legendary, celebrated) career.

The favourites for the men’s title are thus Daniil Medvedev, the World No.2 and reigning US Open champion, and the third-ranked German Alexander Zverev, Olympic gold-medallist and the ATP Tour Finals winner last year. Closely following them are Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini and French Open finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas. The women’s field on the other hand (as an alternative point of view), despite the absence of Serena Williams, boasts (possess, have) of incredible (impressive, remarkable, extraordinary, outstanding, exceptional) depth, with no less than 10 Major champions still in the draw (game) (Sofia Kenin, Angelique Kerber, Petra Kvitova and Sloane Stephens the ones to exit so far). Ferocious (strong, powerful, fierce) ball-strikers and consummate (perfect, superb, highly skilled/talented, complete/ultimate) shot-makers abound (be in large numbers; be plentiful, be numerous), so do solid counter-punchers ((in Tennis) a defensive baseliner who tries to return every ball and relies on the opponent making mistakes) and crafty (clever, shrewd, astute, sharp) all-courters ((in Tennis) a player who can play as a baseliner or serve-and-volleyer) blessed (endow, give, provide, grace, entrust, present) with magic hands. Where men’s tennis has of late birthed (have, produce) a string (a group/set) of ‘Big Game’ players — armed (provide, equip, furnish) with a cannonball serve ((in Tennis) a very fast, flat serve) and a crushing groundstroke ((in Tennis) a forehand or backhand shot that is executed after the ball bounces once on the court) — the women’s game has an eclectic feel, leading to (result in, cause, bring on) suggestions that currently women’s tennis is the best tennis there is. The leaders of this pack (group) are World No.1 Ashleigh Barty, the home favourite, and defending champion Naomi Osaka, who also wore the crown in 2019. There are also Garbine Muguruza, Victoria Azarenka and Simona Halep, all multiple Major winners with proven credentials (identities, qualities; achievement, experience, knowledge). Closer home, Indians will again look to (rely on, resort to, have recourse to, fall back on, turn to) veteran ((long-serving) expert, seasoned, mature, established/experienced (person in an area of activity)) doubles specialists Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna, as the nation goes a fourth straight Slam without a singles player in the main draw.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.build-up (noun)

Hindi Meaning - बनाया, वृद्धि होना
English Meaning - a period of preparation before a significant event; hype, publicity.

2.sobering (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - बुद्धिमत्ता, गंभीर / समझदार
English Meaning - serious/sensible, thoughtful; logical/realistic, pragmatic.

3.backdrop (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पृष्ठभूमि, स्थिति, परिदृश्य
English Meaning - situation, scenario, context.

4.unprecedented (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अभूतपूर्व, अद्वितीय
English Meaning - not done or experienced before.

5.unfold (verb)

Hindi Meaning - उधेड़ना, खोलना, विकसित होना, घटित होना
English Meaning - develop, happen, take place, occur, transpire, emerge.

6.unvaccinated (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - टीकारहित
English Meaning - not vaccinated to provide immunity against a disease.

7.credit (verb)

Hindi Meaning - श्रेय, स्तुति करना, प्रशंसा करना
English Meaning - praise, commend, acclaim, acknowledge, admire.

8.ongoing (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - चलता हुआ, जारी, अंतहीन
English Meaning - current, continuing, unending, relentless.

9.surge (noun)

Hindi Meaning - तरंग, लहर
English Meaning - sudden increase or rise of something.

10.fray (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतियोगिता, प्रतिस्पर्धा
English Meaning - competition, contest.

11.take possession of (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - अधिकार प्राप्त करना, कब्जा करना, पकड़ना
English Meaning - seize, capture, secure, obtain, get hold of.

12.admission (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रवेश, स्वीकृति, मान्यता
English Meaning - acknowledgement, acceptance, recognition, expression, declaration.

13.erase (verb)

Hindi Meaning - मिटाना, हटाना
English Meaning - remove, do away with, get rid of.

14.befit (verb)

Hindi Meaning - अनुकूल होना, उपयुक्त हो
English Meaning - be appropriate/suitable to.

15.setting (noun)

Hindi Meaning - स्थिति, पृष्ठभूमि, समायोजन
English Meaning - position, situation, background, backdrop.

16.on the other hand (phrase)

English Meaning - as an alternative point of view.

17.mar (verb)

English Meaning - spoil, ruin, destroy, impair.

18.run-up to (noun)

English Meaning - a period of time just before an important event.

19.bushfire (noun)

English Meaning - an unplanned & uncontrolled forest fire.

20.lockdown (noun)

English Meaning - an emergency protocol implemented by the authorities that prevents people from leaving from a place; An extended state of confinement/encirclement/isolation of a person by the authority.

21.suffocate (verb)

English Meaning - stifle, choke; suppress, smother, restrain.

22.saga (noun)

English Meaning - chain/series of events; lengthy explanation/statement, lengthy story.

23.jettison (verb)

English Meaning - remove, drop, discard, abandon, throw out/away, get rid of.

24.inoculation (noun)

English Meaning - immunization, vaccine, shot.

25.sell (noun)

English Meaning - disappointment.

26.drawcard (noun)

English Meaning - attraction.

27.Spaniard (noun)

English Meaning - A native of Spain.

28.lock horns (with) (phrase)

English Meaning - engage in a competition/contest.

29.Grand Slam (noun)

English Meaning - it is also referred to as majors, are the world’s four most important annual tennis events. The Grand Slam consists of the Australian Open in Melbourne, French Open in Paris, Wimbledon in London, and the U.S Open in New York.

30.Golden Slam (noun)

English Meaning - (In Tennis) the attainment of a player winning all four Grand Slams and an Olympic Gold in a single calendar year.

31.Calendar Grand Slam (noun)

English Meaning - (In Tennis) a calendar Grand Slam is achieved when a player wins four consecutive Grand Slam events in the same calendar year.

32.Down Under (adverb)

English Meaning - in Australia or New Zealand.

33.mojo (noun)

English Meaning - magic power, magic spell, magic formula.

34.befitting (adjective)

English Meaning - appropriate/suitable.

35.storied (adjective)

English Meaning - famed, fabulous, legendary, celebrated.

36.reigning (adjective)

English Meaning - defending, current.

37.boast (noun)

English Meaning - possess, have.

38.incredible (adjective)

English Meaning - impressive, remarkable, extraordinary, outstanding, exceptional.

39.draw (noun)

English Meaning - game.

40.so far (phrase)

English Meaning - until now, up to the present, up to this point.

41.ferocious (adjective)

English Meaning - strong, powerful, fierce.

42.consummate (adjective)

English Meaning - perfect, superb, highly skilled/talented, complete/ultimate.

43.abound (verb)

English Meaning - be in large numbers; be plentiful, be numerous.

44.counter-puncher (noun)

English Meaning - (in Tennis) a defensive baseliner who tries to return every ball and relies on the opponent making mistakes.

45.crafty (adjective)

English Meaning - clever, shrewd, astute, sharp.

46.all-courter (noun)

English Meaning - (in Tennis) a player who can play as a baseliner or serve-and-volleyer.

47.bless (with) (verb)

English Meaning - endow, give, provide, grace, entrust, present.

48.of late (phrase)

English Meaning - recently, lately, in recent times.

49.birth (verb)

English Meaning - have, produce.

50.string (noun)

English Meaning - a group/set.

51.arm (with)(verb)

English Meaning - provide, equip, furnish.

52.cannonball serve (noun)

English Meaning - (in Tennis) a very fast, flat serve.

53.crushing (adjective)

English Meaning - embarrassing, humiliating, disconcerting, disappointing.

54.groundstroke (noun)

English Meaning - (in Tennis) a forehand or backhand shot that is executed after the ball bounces once on the court.

55.eclectic (adjective)

English Meaning - wide-ranging/extensive, comprehensive, broad-based, all-embracing, multidisciplinary.

56.lead to (verb)

English Meaning - result in, cause, bring on.

57.pack (noun)

English Meaning - group.

58.credentials (noun)

English Meaning - identities, qualities; achievement, experience, knowledge.

59.look to (verb)

English Meaning - rely on, resort to, have recourse to, fall back on, turn to.

60.veteran (noun)

English Meaning - (long-serving) expert, seasoned, mature, established/experienced (person in an area of activity).