Five-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic could face record Grand Slam victor Roger Federer in the semi-finals of the season’s opening Grand Slam following Friday’s draw in Melbourne.
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Russia’s Maria Sharapova prepares to hit a forehand return during a practice session on Rod Laver Arena ahead of the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2016.
Defending champion Serena Williams and No. 5-ranked Maria Sharapova were drawn into the same section for the Australian Open on Friday, meaning last year’s finalists could meet in the quarterfinals.
Serena Williams must stop giving opponents head starts if she is to come anywhere near emulating last season’s feat of winning three of the year’s four grand slams, according to former world number one Chris Evert.
She is one of the few players with the power and speed to consistently challenge world number one Williams, who she pushed to a deciding set in each of their three matches a year ago while ostensibly still on the comeback trail.
“Will they continue to dominate at the season-opening Australian Open, which starts Monday?” “But it still wasn’t there”, she said.
Djokovic will play 19-year-old of Hyeon Chung of South Korea in the first round and is in the same half of the draw as No. 3 Federer.
1969 – The name is changed to the Australian Open. But after playing for so many years on tour, I should be able to focus on that and the fact that I have played a lot of matches. “Maybe I had a bad attitude out there”, she said.
The injury worry and her lack of competitive matches shape as a concern ahead of a first-round clash against hard-hitting Italian Camila Giorgi. “I don’t think they will be an obstacle to her performances in the future”. Questions about her preparation remain as the tournament nears, but her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou told The New York Times that he was “confident Serena will be ready”.
Speaking earlier this week about her involvement with Berlei Williams said: ‘My mom first discovered Berlei while on a trip to Australia nearly 10 years ago and I have been wearing their bras ever since – for every tennis match without fail. I actually wanted to have an easy day today.
Williams, seeking to win her seventh Australian Open title, pulled out of a lead-up tournament with a knee complaint last week, but remained confident in her body going into the tournament.
“I just think about each tournament as it comes, each player as it comes”.
“When I say flawless, it’s not one thing in particular”.
“You look at Svetlana Kuznetsova who is playing really well in Sydney (reaching the final) and is a potential fourth round”.
Federer won his last Australian title in 2010 and made four semifinals in a row before losing in the third round previous year to Andreas Seppi.
The 94th-ranked right-hander – looking to add to her maiden WTA Tour title in 2014 – has already beaten the 2011 US Open champion and Anna Karolina Schmiedlova this year as a trip to Melbourne Park looms. She won only five matches from February through August, including first-round losses at the French and Wimbledon, before suffering a concussion that knocked her out of the US Open.
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Muguruza: She had a strong first half previous year, then a weak summer, then did better in the fall. His best result at the Australian Open is the third round in 2014 and 2015.
