Who will oust Aussie masters?
Djokovic, Federer and Serena remain favourites in Melbourne
NOVAK Djokovic and Rogerer Federer loom over Melbourne Park as favourites for the Australian Open as questions remain as to whether one of Generation Next could finally end their stranglehold.
The Serbian world number one and his Swiss opponent have won eight of the nine titles on Rod Laver Arena since 2010 and 11 of the last 13 on the central Melbourne courts.
Both have six titles each, and are seeking to break a three-way tie for the most victories with Australia’s Roy Emerson.
While Federer has won the tournament for the last two years - the 2017 victory was achieved at the age of 35 after knee surgery in 2016 - Djokovic’s history in Australia and rediscovery of his form midway through last year means the world number one will be the man to beat.
The 31-year-old went into a bewildering slump in mid-2016 that only ended when he won Wimbledon last year before he went on to claim his third US Open crown and move to 14 Grand Slam titles, three behind Rafa Nadal.
The 32-year-old Spanish world number two is battling another leg injury that forced him out of the Brisbane International last week.
He retired in the quarter-finals last year in Melbourne and suffered a knee injury that forced him out of the US Open semi-finals before he had ankle surgery in November.
Federer, 37, prepared for his title defence with some convincing performances in the Hopman Cup in Perth last week.
The 20-times Grand Slam winner’s victories over Greece’s world number 15 Stefanos Tsitsipas and world number four Alexander Zverev prompted the German to playfully quip that he was tired of Federer winning everything.
The 21-year-old Zverev appears the most likely of the younger generation of players hoping to end the world’s top three’s domination of Grand Slams, having beaten Federer and Djokovic at the ATP Tour Finals in London last November.
Others in ‘Generation Next’ like Austria’s Dominic Thiem and the 22-year-old Russians Karen Khachanov and Daniil Medvedev could cause upsets.
Two of the older generation, Britain’s Andy Murray and Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka, could be dangerous floaters in the draw.
Murray, a five-time finalist at Melbourne Park, spent most of last year recuperating from hip surgery.
Wawrinka, the 2014 champion, is coming back from knee surgery and a back injury in the second half of 2018. The women’s draw looks more open even with Serena Williams back chasing a 24th grand slam singles title to tie Margaret Court’s all-time record.
The American was eight weeks pregnant when she won her 23rd title at Melbourne Park in 2017 and last year reached finals at Wimbledon and the US Open.
World number one Simona Halep lost the 2018 final to Caroline Wozniacki. The Romanian, who lost to Ash Barty in the second round of the Sydney International yesterday, broke her grand slam duck at the French Open in June last year and finished the season at number one for the second consecutive year.
Wozniacki has a question mark over her fitness after the 28-yearold Dane revealed her battle with rheumatoid arthritis last October.
A second Australian Open title will be a perfect birthday gift for world number two Angelique Kerber, who turns 31 in the first week of the tournament.
Kerber beat Wiliams in the Wimbledon final. At the Hopman Cup she maintained her 100 percent singles record even though Germany lost to Switzerland in the final.
Kerber has replaced coach Wim Fissette with 2003 Australian Open finalist Rainer Schuettler and a more aggressive approach could be the hallmark of the new partnership.
Also in the mix is Naomi Osaka, who stunned Williams in New York. The 21-year-old Japanese, however, had an inconsistent build-up to the year’s first grand slam.
Osaka suffered a straight sets loss to Lesia Tsurenko in the semifinal of the Brisbane International and withdrew from the Sydney International in frustration.