Serena Williams
Battle for number one as Kim, Serena lurk
HONG KONG: Only a brave punter would bet against one of the ‘Big Four’ lifting the Australian Open men’s title, but picking a winner from the women’s draw is a hazardous task.
Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer – the top three in the men’s rankings — have an enviable haul of 30 grand slams between them in a golden period for the men’s game. Just behind them lurks the hungry Andy Murray. In sharp contrast, the top three female players have a combined total of just one slam and last year there were four different champions in tennis’ blue riband events, as the women’s game waits for its next big thing.
And acknowledged superstars Kim Clijsters and Serena Williams, both ranked outside the top 10 but sharing 17 major titles, are nursing recent injuries that could take the edge off their title challenges.
Belgium’s Clijsters, currently ranked 12th, is defending champion at the year’s opening grand slam, after beating Li Na in the 2011 Melbourne final, before the Chinese player went one step further at the French Open.
Second seed Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic won on grass at Wimbledon and Australia’s Samantha Stosur took the US Open title, upsetting home favourite Serena Williams in the Sep 11 final in New York.
The name missing from the 2011 list of winners is top seed Caroline Wozniacki, still yet to win her first grand slam, whose world number one ranking is under imminent threat from rising star Kvitova.
The two rivals have already clashed this year, with the Czech player winning in three sets at last week’s mixed-teams Hopman Cup in Perth, which does not carry ranking points.
“It was a good match for us. It was good preparation,” said Kvitova, the breakout player of 2011 with six titles including Wimbledon and the WTA Championships, plus Fed Cup glory with the Czech Republic.
Wozniacki, who reached the semi-finals in Melbourne last year, has been at pains to play down their rivalry, stressing her close friendship with the blonde Kvitova.
“Petra is a great girl. I like her a lot. She’s one of my good friends,” Wozniacki said.
“I’m sure we’ll play against each other and we’ll both do well in the years to come,” she added.
The Dane, buoyed by her relationship with golf superstar Rory McIlroy, will be anxious to seal her maiden grand slam and silence critics who say she cannot be considered the world’s best player without winning a major.
Third seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus has never been beyond the quarter-finals in Melbourne but reached the Wimbledon semi-finals last year. By contrast, fourth seed Maria Sharapova has grand slam pedigree, with three major titles — the last in Melbourne in 2008 — but the Russian is again battling injury as she struggles to shake off a left ankle problem. — AFP