It is a new year in the world of tennis as 2018 season singles begin in the Australian open on Monday 15th January 2018 in Melbourne.
British Andy Murray has been ruled out of the tournament as he continues to recover from hip injury and Kei Nishikori is also a notable absentee while in the Women’s category the defending champions Serena Williams will not have the chance to defend her title as she continue breast feeding her newly born baby and Victory Azarenka is also an absentee.
However, it will be interesting to watch some big names contest for the title as Roger Federer will hope to win his 20th grand slam singles.
Let’s look at the top five possible winners in both the male and female categories.
ATP
Roger Federer
Federer roared back win his fifth Australian Open title before regaining his Wimbledon crown. Now, with some of his rivals wounded or absent, the defending champion starts as the hot favourite. Yet the 36-year-old’s quarter-final exit at the US Open reminded him that he must manage his body carefully; his hopes of winning a 20th major will be in doubt if his back plays up.
However, the 36 year old Swiss expressed that his age helps take the pressure off him as he heads into the tournaments.
“I play down my chances just because I don’t think a 36-year-old should be a favourite of a tournament”.
Roger Federer begins Australian Open title defence against Aljaz Bedene.
Rafael Nadal
The Spaniard who lost to his old friend in a classic Australian Open final, but he completed La Decima at the French Open, strolled to the US Open title and finished the year as the world No1. The 31-year-old’s troublesome knees flared up at the ATP World Tour Finals, however, and his fitness is a concern.
Grigor Dimitrov
With Andy Murray recovering from hip surgery, Kei Nishikori side-lined and Novak Djokovic returning from a disastrous year of his storied career and Stan Wawrinka, an open field offers a chance for Dimitrov, who has crept up to No3 in the rankings, to produce something of substance. A semi-finalist last year, the Bulgarian has to build on winning the World Tour Finals. But trusting the inconsistent 26-year-old is hard.
Juan Martín del Potro
The lovable Argentinian is free from injury problems at the moment and his victory over Federer at Flushing Meadows last year proved that his game remains explosive enough to inconvenience the best. The world No12 is a terrifying proposition on his day. But can he last the course over a fortnight?
Nick Kyrgios
Tipping the young Australian is always a dangerous game. The idea of Kyrgios fulfilling his potential remains tantalising. Naturally there is every chance the world No17 could disappoint again at his home tournament, but winning Brisbane was an encouraging step in the right direction from the 22-year-old.
WTA
Elina Svitolina
Picking a favourite on the women’s side remains a difficult task, especially after Serena Williams’s withdrawal. Who could have predicted that Jelena Ostapenko or Sloane Stephens would win their first grand slam titles last year? Still, if form is anything to go by then Svitolina will regard this as a fine opportunity to do it again. The improving world No4 impressed on her way to winning the Brisbane International last week and the Ukrainian’s first real challenge could be Stephens, fitness permitting, in the fourth round.
Johanna Konta
With Andy Murray recuperating from hip surgery, the pressure on Konta to keep British hopes alive in Melbourne is likely to be high. The world No9 was a semi-finalist in 2016 and also reached the last eight last year, losing to Serena Williams, while a run to the last four at Wimbledon suggested that Konta could follow in Virginia Wade’s footsteps one day. The Sydney-born 26-year-old is often inconsistent, and was forced to withdraw from her Brisbane quarter-final with a hip problem.
Venus Williams
The flux in the women’s game is best described by Simona Halep rising to the top of the rankings despite never having won a slam. Garbiñe Muguruza, meanwhile, has a shaky record on hard courts. Keeping that in mind, then, experience could be key. Venus Williams might not have her little sister for company but the 37-year-old was a finalist in Melbourne last year and should not be overlooked because of her age although she has a very tough opener against the returning Belinda Bencic.
Maria Sharapova
The Russian is sure to split opinion wherever she goes, though one thing that is not in doubt is her ferocious competitiveness. The 30-year-old has been climbing the rankings since her return from a doping ban and she will be a threat simply because of her willingness to scrap. Sharapova reached the fourth round at the US Open but, while her slam pedigree is matched by few of her peers, she has a tough draw and will likely have to get past the 2016 victor, Angelique Kerber, just to reach the last 16 here.
Caroline Garcia
Caroline Garcia should certainly fancy her chances after an encouraging end to 2017 which saw the Frenchwoman reach the semis in the season-ending tour finals. The 24-year-old is, however, in a tough quarter of the draw leaving her likely to face the losing US Open finalist, Madison Keys, in the fourth round and one of Muguruza, Sharapova, Kerber or Agniezska Radwanska in the last eight.
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