MEN TO WATCH AT AUSTRALIAN OPEN ‘20

MELBOURNE, Australia — Here are some of the men to watch at the Australian Open, where play begins Monday, January 20, 2020.

RAFAEL NADAL

Seeded: 1

Country: Spain

Age: 33

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 19 — 1 at Australian Open (2009), 12 at French Open (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019), 2 at Wimbledon (2008, 2010), 4 at U.S. Open ((2010, 2013, 2017, 2019

Aces: Oldest man to finish a year ranked No. 1 . ... Can become only the third man in tennis history with at least two titles at each Grand Slam tournament

ROGER FEDERER

Seeded: 3

Country: Switzerland

Age: 38

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 20 — 6 at Australian Open (2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017, 2018), 1 at French Open (2009), 8 at Wimbledon (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2017), 5 at U.S. (Open (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

Aces: 21st Australian Open appearance breaks Lleyton Hewitt’s record for most by a man . ... Also holds .record for most tournament match wins ment

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

Seeded: 2

Country: Serbia

Age: 32

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 16 — 7 at Australian Open (2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019), 1 at French Open (2016), 5 at Wimbledon (2011, 2014, (2015, 2018, 2019), 3 at U.S. Open (2011, 2015, 2018 Aces: First-round win would make him 6th man in Open era with 900 career victories (he is 899-187, a winning percentage of .828 ) . ... Has won two .majors in four of the past five seasons ment

DANIIL MEDVEDEV

Seeded: 4

Country: Russia

Age: 23

Grand Slam Singles Titles: 0 — Best: RU, U.S. Open ((2019

Aces: Fifth consecutive major tournament in which his seeding has risen . ... Led the ATP in match wins .and with nine finals reached last season ment

Here’s a glass to Federer & Co. for their generosity to the Australian people long suffering from the bushfires, a yearly phenomenon but had gotten unusually worst this year. AL S. MENDOZA

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