He is the last man to have beaten the Serb in Grand Slam competition, at Roland Garros last summer. Raonic beat Federer in the Brisbane International final last week.
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Murray will also face an opponent coached by a former member of Team Murray for the second year running at Melbourne Park.
Can anyone defeat Novak Djokovic?
The Portuguese player has been a familiar foe for Murray in recent times, facing the Scot on five occasions in the last two years – and losing every time.
“No, I’m a little exhausted today”, she said.
The 2016 Australian Open will mark the 29th year of the tournament in its modern form.
“I think where Djokovic excels is just the physical – like Brad said – the defence, the offence”, ESPN’s Chris Evert said in the conference call, “and he’s mentally just head and shoulders above everyone else”.
Andy Murray will face German teenager Alexander Zverev in the first round of the Australian Open. “I haven’t played for a few weeks”, she said.
Court added: “The men’s game is very exciting in the top four or so and you’d like to see that a little bit more in the women”. “It has now cleared up, and we can prepare as we would wish to for the Australian Open”.
In the past, Williams has overcome injuries and a life-threatening illness to amass 21 grand slam singles titles.
Then came her final denial: the calendar grand slam she came so tantalisingly close to sealing past year was not remotely in her thoughts. [The knee] actually is really fine. “I think she’s a player we should be talking about and focusing on right now because she’s the best player out there as of now with all the injuries”, said Chris Evert, who will be commentating in Melbourne for ESPN.
“I t will be a tough match and I need to be ready to play very good tennis if I want to be through”.
Williams is expected to play on Monday while the women’s bottom half of the draw will start on Tuesday.
Fifth seed Maria Sharapova, runner-up to Williams a year ago and champion in 2008, has a first-round tie against 58th-ranked Japanese Nao Hibino.
Fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska, still chasing a first grand slam title, plays American Christina McHale.
Serena seemed nearly unstoppable for much of 2015, and amassed a highly impressive win-loss record of 53-6. “For him either”, Nadal said Saturday. “We have intensified the training both in the length of the sessions and the rhythm”. Sharapova, last year’s runner-up, would meet Serena in the quarterfinals. I mean, I do probably more than anyone else. In the third quarter, Angelique Kerber and Garbine Muguruza are the highest seeds, but Victoria Azarenka is seeded 14th and placed in Muguruza’s section.
If Murray makes it through Zverev, he will find the draw opening up for him, with Novak Djokovic not a possible opponent until the final. If he can navigate all those hurdles, world No. 2 Andy Murray is seeded to be up next in the semifinals.
Williams has brushed off concerns about her fitness, declaring herself ‘at 130%’ for her the Australian Open.
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Kyle Edmund faces a re-match of his Davis Cup Final meeting with Belgian No. 1 David Goffin in the second round if the Yorkshireman beats Bosnian Damir Dzumhur. But Williams resorted to the delusional again when asked what she thought of Giorgi.
