Djokovic, Federer seek seventh heaven Serena still the dominant force on Melbourne return
Both eye their seventh title in Melbourne as Nadal struggles with fitness and Murray looks to bow out
MELBOURNE: Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic are both gunning for a record seventh Australian Open crown from Monday, but Andy Murray will make his last appearance in Melbourne as the era of the “Big Four” draws to a close.
No 1 Djokovic and third seed Federer face a stern challenge from the likes of Alexander Zverev, seeded four, who is still looking for a first major to cement his place as torch-bearer for the next generation.
But Murray dropped a pregrand Slam bombshell, breaking down during a tear-filled press conference as he revealed chronic hip pain means he will retire after Wimbledon — if he can carry on that long.
And question marks remain over the fitness of world No 2 Rafael Nadal who pulled out of his Brisbane warm-up but arrived in Melbourne professing he was “fully fit” and promising to unleash a re-modelled serve.
It all means the era of the “Big Four” is almost over after a season in which Federer — who opens his title defence against Denis Istomin on Monday — rolled back the years on Rod Laver Arena to lift an emotional 20th Grand Slam.
It put him on a par with other six-time Australian Open winners Djokovic and Roy Emerson.
By contrast, the 31-year-old Djokovic endured a miserable early Melbourne exit in 2018, followed by elbow surgery and a string of disappointing results that saw him drop outside the top 20. But since winning a fourth Wimbledon in July, the Serb rose inexorably back to number one by losing only three further matches — one of which was to Zverev at the ATP Finals.
Djokovic won his third US Open in September to put him on 14 Grand Slams — three behind Nadal and six behind Federer.
And Djokovic said Sunday he was delighted to be back in Melbourne where his rise to greatness all began in 2008 with his first Grand Slam win.
“It was my first major trophy, that obviously served as a great springboard for my career,” Djokovic said.
Seeding:
World ranking:
ATP career titles: Biggest weapon:
Biggest weakness:
(Britain)
World ranking: Age:
Grand Slam titles: (Wimbledon 2013, 2016; U.S.
Open 2012)
ATP career titles:
Best Aust Open performance: Runner-up
(2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016)
Biggest weapon: His double-handed backhand is still one of the best in
the game.
Biggest weakness: Murray has failed to recapture his best form since undergoing hip surgery and may be exposed by the baseline hustlers in what could be his final
tournament.
Age: MELBOURNE:SERENA Williams was eight weeks pregnant during her 2017 Australian Open triumph and while she has failed to add to her tally of 23 Grand Slam titles, the American is still regarded as the dominant force in women’s tennis on her return to Melbourne.
The 37-year-old took a year off after the birth of her daughter Alexis Olympia in September of that year, before returning to action last season, when she reached the finals at Wimbledon and the US Open.
Her quest for another major fell at the final hurdle on both occasions, however, with defeats to Germany’s Angelique Kerber in London and rising Japanese star Naomi Osaka in New York.
The losses left Williams still seeking a 24th Grand Slam singles title to equal Margaret Court’s all-time record and she will have another tilt at that milestone starting Monday despite entering the tournament ranked 16th in the world. While Williams achieved her victory over sister Venus in the final two years ago, the challenge this year is expected to come from a vast array of players.
Chris Evert has described trying to pick a women’s singles champion in Melbourne as a ‘crapshoot’, with the last eight Grand Slam titles having been won by different players.
World No 1 Simona Halep has had a fractured lead-up to the tournament.
She will be without a coach for the first few months of the season after Darren Cahill left for ‘family reasons’ and if that setback was not enough, she was outplayed by unseeded Ashleigh Barty in the second
(Switzerland)
Seeding: World ranking: Age:
Grand Slam titles: (Australian Open 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017, 2018; French Open 2009; Wimbledon 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2017; U.S. Open 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
ATP career titles:
Biggest weapon: The defending champion's serve-and-volley game allows him to finish points quickly. Vast experience and formidable shot selection lets him
switch tactics quickly.
Biggest weakness: Even at 37, there are barely any chinks in Federer's armour but playing marathon five-setters in the Australian heat may prove to be his
undoing.
(Germany)
World ranking: Grand Slam titles: Career ATP titles: Best Aus Open performance:
Third round (2017, 2018)
Biggest weapon: Ivan Lendl is helping him overcome the big-game jitters. He strikes the ball crisply and has a delightful double-handed backhand.
Biggest weakness: Lack
of experience and a disappointing record at Slams as expectations have weighed him
down.
Seeding:
Age: round at Sydney.
The Romanian, who lost the 2018 Australian Open final to Caroline Wozniacki, could rue her lack of competitive matches but remained upbeat.
“I think I played a good level of tennis... No pain at all. I’m happy about that. It’s a great sign,” Halep told reporters after her loss to Barty.
A second Australian Open title for Kerber, who denied Williams in the 2016 final, will be a perfect birthday gift for the world number two, who turns 31 during the first week of the tournament.
She looked sharp at the Hopman Cup, maintaining a 100 percent singles record, even though Germany lost to Roger Federer’s Switzerland in the final.
Defending champion Wozniacki has been battling rheumatoid arthritis but the 28-year-old Dane will remain a contender, as will 21-year-old Osaka, who jumped into the spotlight with her ruthless victory over a fired-up Williams in New York.
Belarussian Aryna Sabalenka has emerged as a dark horse, with many observers, including American great Evert, tipping the 20-year-old to make her Grand Slam breakthrough in 2019.