Seedings announced

Defending champions and No. 1-ranked Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams top the Australian Open seedings lists, which follow rankings ahead of the first Grand Slam tournament of 2016. Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka moved back into the top 16 with her victory at the Brisbane International last week, her first title since 2013. She finished last season at No. 22. A victory over 2014 U.S. Open runner-up Kei Nishikori and a run to the semifinals at the Brisbane International lifted Australia’s Bernard Tomic to a No. 16 seeding. On the men’s side, four-time finalist Andy Murray was seeded No. 2, 17-time major winner Roger Federer was No. 3 and 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka was No. 4, one higher than Rafael Nadal. John Isner was No. 10 and Milos Raonic, who beat Federer in the Brisbane final last weekend, was at No. 13. On the women’s side, Simona Halep was No. 2, Garbine Muguruza was No. 3, Agieszka Radwanska was No. 4 and Maria Sharapova, the 2008 champion and finalist last year, was No. 5. The draw will take place on Friday.

Two-time Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia has booked a semifinal berth at the Sydney International, while fourth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov advanced to the men’s quarterfinals of the Australian Open tune-up event. Kuznetsova, 30, who won the 2004 U.S. Open and 2009 French Open, beat Sara Errani of Italy 7-6 (1), 6-0 and will meet either Karolina Pliskova or top-seeded Simona Halep in the semifinals. Dimitrov advanced with a 7-6 (2), 6-4 victory over Uruguay’s Pablo Cuevas. Joining him in the men’s quarterfinals are Nicolas Mahut of France, who beat Andreas Seppi 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, and Gilles Muller of Luxembourg, who advanced when second-seeded Dominic Thiem of Austria retired with an injury while trailing 7-6 (2) 2-2.