Our tennis writer previews the 2017 Australian Open Men’s Draw set to take place from Monday 15 January – Sunday 21 January.
With the soaring temperatures sweeping across Australia this year, many will find some relief in the news that Serena Williams has withdrawn from the tournament. This opens the door for plenty of players to chase that elusive Grand Slam breakthrough, including Simona Halep and Caroline Wozniacki. However, calling the shots in women’s tennis without Serena is always a risky game.
The women’s circuit often surprises, with the Number One ranking swapping hands frequently. A win by Garbine Muguruza would put her just one title shy of a career Grand Slam, while Maria Sharapova is battling to regain her competitive edge. Despite Serena’s absence, there are numerous storylines set to make this year’s Grand Slam opener a thrilling event.
Past Champions
2017: Serena Williams
2016: Angelique Kerber
2015: Serena Williams
2014: Li Na
2013: Victoria Azarenka
Top Seeds to Watch
Simona Halep
Caroline Wozniacki
Garbine Muguruza
Elina Svitolina
Venus Williams
Karolina Pliskova
Jelena Ostapenko
Caroline Garcia
Parental Absences Impact the Draw
Serena Williams, a seven-time champion, and Victoria Azarenka, a two-time winner, will miss Melbourne this year for different childcare reasons. Serena is cautious about returning to full competition following her childbirth despite a promising comeback, while Azarenka is tied up in a custody battle in California. This leaves Maria Sharapova and Angelique Kerber as the only previous champions in the field.
Favourites at the Bookies: Simona Halep (15/2), Karolina Pliskova (8/1), Elina Svitolina (17/2)
Without the dominance of the ‘Big Four’ in women’s Grand Slams, the competition feels like more of a lottery. Nevertheless, here are the top three favourites tipped by the bookmakers.
Simona Halep showed great resilience after last year’s French Open heartbreak and finished as the world’s No.1. She’s already clinched a title in Shenzhen this season and has a solid history with quarter-final appearances. Her opening matches look manageable, setting her up to possibly face Angelique Kerber in the semis.
Karolina Pliskova, sharing Halep’s quarter of the draw, burst onto the scene with titles in Brisbane, Eastbourne, and Doha. However, the expected scorching heat might challenge her baseline power style. A potential 4th round clash with Johanna Konta looms as a tough hurdle.
Elina Svitolina, priced attractively at 17/2, benefits from a favourable quarter as Venus Williams faces some medical issues. Svitolina had an outstanding previous year, winning key titles and making solid progress this season already. Her early-round opponents seem within reach, giving her a strong chance for a deep run.
Other Contenders: Caroline Wozniacki (10/1), Garbine Muguruza (12/1)
While hard to separate the favourites at the top, Caroline Wozniacki has struggled to close out crucial finals despite recent wins. In contrast, Garbine Muguruza boasts a unique achievement of defeating both Serena and Venus Williams in Grand Slam finals. However, Muguruza’s fitness remains a question mark with the intense Australian heat, and her withdrawals from key preparation events are cause for concern.
Sleeper Pick: Angelique Kerber (11/1)
Kerber’s absence of heavy competition this year, coupled with a decent bounce-back after a tough 2017, makes her a compelling underdog. With titles in 2016 Australian and US Open, Kerber knows the pressure and posses the experience to recover her form. Her path could see her take on Sharapova in the 4th round and a favourable quarter-final draw.
Class Act: Coco Vandeweghe (25/1)
With one of the coolest names and a sporting pedigree to boot, Coco Vandeweghe is a player to watch this hardcourt season. She surged to two Grand Slam semi-finals last year and looks primed for a strong Aussie campaign. With solid first-round and second-round matches, she may cause an upset against Jelena Ostapenko later in the tournament. Under Pat Cash’s guidance, expect a standout performance.
Written by Jason Dewey for Hollywoodbets.net
