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Serving Up the Australian Open: A Top 10 Preview
by Nadya Vlassoff
Sunday, January 18, 2009. The first day of the Australian Open in Melbourne begins with both tennis fans and the players invigorated for another season. The first jewel in the crown, the Aussie Open, showcases the best talent from around the world as well as some homegrown talent that has made it through the qualifying rounds in order to garner a spot amongst the sport’s elite. Last year Casey Dellaqua, a local favorite in Melbourne went as far as the 4th round and rallied home court support by the many Australian fans that were thirsty for one of their own to take the trophy. Leyton Hewitt, another Aussie favorite and previous Slam champion was among the top 20 in the men’s draw but faced a difficult road to even make it into the second week. International superstars like Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova, Andy Roddick, Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal and Ana Ivanovic graced the promotion posters and fielded interviews before they even took to the court as the Melbourne crowd amped themselves up to see their heroes battle their way into the trophy rounds.
Last year it was Sharapova, who recently pulled out of this year’s Open, in the women’s draw that came out victorious. On the men’s side, a new talent, emerging Serbian star Novak Djokovic, beat a slew of top seeds to win his first slam title ever. This year they look to defend their titles amongst rising stars like French Open Champion Ana Ivanovic, who lost to Sharapova in the final last year, Dinara Safina, who had the most active year and moved into the top 5 overall in the WTA standings for the first time in her career and also seasoned veterans like the Williams sisters and the reigning Olympic Gold Medalist, Elena Demenetieva. On the men’s side Roger Federer will be looking to start 2009 better than 2008 where he had a very disappointing start to the season. Rafael Nadal will look to continue his dominance over the entire men’s draw and even players like Ivo Karlovic will look to fare better than he did last year after a dismal loss in the 3rd round.
It is extremely hard to say who will even make it into the second week in Melbourne. The Australian Open is notorious for scorching temperatures, matches that last over 3 hours, blazing sun and boisterous crowds.
As tennis fans get set for the Aussie Open, here are our thoughts on who should make for some interesting entertainment during this year’s event.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga:
 Tsonga was the breakout star in the men’s draw at this event a year ago. Jo-Wilfried made it all the way to the final, beating Rafael Nadal in the semi-final and breaking into the top 20 ranking for the first time in his career. But since this stunning upset, Tsonga had been slowed by injury and forced to take time off from the tour before coming back and surging into the top 10 of the ATP rankings. Let’s see if the Frenchman can continue his success at this tournament. We just hope his side of the draw doesn’t contain Nadal who will be more than willing to dispense a little payback.
Jelena Jankovic:
The often overlooked Serbian is looking to final walk away with a Slam title rather than a loss in the semi-final and hopes of better-luck-next-time. This is the time for Jankovic to really show she deserves the number one ranking she received in 2008, although she has never won a slam title. While she is arguably the most consistent player on the tour, all the second place finishes in the world will never be enough, especially when a title win catapults you into the stratosphere of the tennis elite.
David Nalbandian:
The towering Argentinean should be able to do very well in this tournament. Although Nalbandian’s conditioning dropped in the second half of the season last year because of injury, this is the perfect opportunity for him to sweep aside his less powerful competitors and storm into the second week. David Nalbandian probably won’t make it past the semi-finals but he will be able to lift his ranking, which will allow him to have a better draw in upcoming tournaments and qualify for more Tier 1 competition.
Jelena Dokic:
 The former #4 ranked player in 2002 is now back in the Open after qualifying in the Australian Open Wildcard Playoff event. Dokic has had a tumultuous past, both on and off the court, but this is a chance for Jelena to finally revert back to her glory days. While she has suffered a lot from injuries in the last five years, Dokic should take this opportunity to win a few matches and raise her ranking in order to qualify for more WTA tournaments and stay out of the ITF circuit. If Dokic can maintain her mental and physical focus on the next few tournaments before the Aussie Open then she should be well-prepared to handle this tournament with home field advantage.
Dinara Safina:
 The most exciting woman to watch during last year’s second half of the season, Dinara Safina has definitely stepped out from under older brother, Marat Safin’s shadow. In 2008 Safina won 3 Tier 1 Tournaments, the Olympic singles silver medal, and also made it to her first ever Slam final at the French Open where she lost to Ana Ivanovic. Dinara did not play in Melbourne last year but throughout the season defeated almost all of her major rivals, including Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Jelena Jankovic and Elena Demenetieva. Safina reached a career-high #2 on the WTA rankings before ending the year at #3 after a dismal showing at the WTA Sony Ericsson Championships. Regardless of who she plays, Dinara Safina has proven that she is a lethal threat on any court, against any competition and her improved game is only going to get better. Look for her to make it deep into the second week and take out some top seeds along the way.
Gael Monfils:
One of the most entertaining players to watch in the men’s draw, Gael Monfils proved at the 2008 U.S. Open that he has definitely stepped up his game since last year’s Aussie Open. Better footwork, cleaner shots, deep serves, and an array of shots to keep his opponents off-balance are just some of the improvements he has made in the last year. Monfils won’t win but with some smart sets he will definitely make it deep into the second week and hopefully into the semi-finals.
Casey Dellacqua:
Another Australian who made waves last year by reaching the 4th round, Casey Dellacqua needs to focus on improving her game the way she did in 2008. After reaching a career-high ranking of #39 in July of 2008, Casey finished the year at #55 but will be a favourite for the hometown crowd. Dellacqua has already proven that she can beat her higher seeded opponents by taking out former world #1 Amelie Mauresmo in Melbourne a year ago in her best run at a Slam in her career. While she has improved her conditioning after being criticized for it following her dismal loss to Lindsay Davenport in the first round of the 2006 Australian Open, Dellacqua must remain collected on the court in order to ensure she makes it past the 4th round this time and make it into the second week in order to continue her success from last year.
Fernando Gonzalez:
 The man known as "Stone Hand" or "Rock Fist" also has one of the deadliest forehands on the ATP tour. Fernando Gonzalez has constantly been battling to stay in the top 10 rankings and has come close to winning a slam but his mental game has held him back which is something many players struggle with. In 2007 Gonzalez played Roger Federer in the final of the Australian Open and couldn’t close out any of the sets and eventually lost in tight, straight sets. While Gonzalez has beaten many top players he has yet to pocket a slam title. This tournament caters very well to his strong forehand and improved backhand slice. Fernando’s new serve will also allow him to make it past the 4th round and easily be in contention for a spot in the quarter-finals if not higher.
Mary Carillo and Pam Shriver:
These two former champions provide for some delicious entertainment while the courts await the next match. While a mediator is usually needed when Carillo and Shriver get too feisty, they both have a good insight in knowing what to look for when the players hit the court. Let’s see if their predictions will stand at the end of the tournament, or like usual, a new face emerges as the dark horse of the competition.
Ivo Karlovic:
 The tallest man on the tour is definitely a force to be reckoned with, especially in the early rounds. As fearsome as Ivo Karlovic’s serve is, he has lost to many of his rivals over and over again. Although Karlovic’s height is an advantage, particularly when attributed to his blistering serve, he hasn’t been able to overcome the awkwardness of his stature. While he has worked a lot on his conditioning and net game, of which, with a near 7 foot wingspan can be quite an asset to a player’s volley game, Karlovic must play smarter and limit his unforced errors in order to improve. While he is able to keep up with any competitor on the tour he usually loses during the tiebreak. If Karlovic can get over the mental game and focus on the court then he should be able to make an impressive run here. He won’t win but he might upset some top seeds.
2009 Australian Open Winners?
 In the men’s draw, it will go back to the age old dance of Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer. Nadal, having dethroned Federer at Wimbledon and taken over the top spot in the rankings in 2008, should be a big confidence boost. However, if Federer can stay healthy, then a win will be hard to come by for Nadal Will it be difficult? Yes, but not impossible. It will go to 5 sets, as their showdowns usually do on any other surface, except for Nadal’s favourite: the clay court. Look for Nadal in 5.
In the women’s draw, it would be great to see if Jelena Jankovic could even make it to a final. Sadly, this probably won’t happen with Serena Williams and long-time rival Ana Ivanovic chomping at the bit as well. Thankfully for the entire women’s draw Sharapova, the defending champion, recently pulled out of the tournament and will not be able to defend her title. This has unquestionably opened up the field for any of the remaining top 10 women to make a run for the title, especially Serena Williams and Ana Ivanovic, two of her biggest rivals. It will probably go down to Serena Williams vs. whomever. If Dinara Safina and Serena are on opposite sides of the draw, the thought would make for a thrilling final, with Safina poised to win her first slam. However, when you play a seasoned veteran like Serena Williams, all aspects of your game better be turned on or else her serve and her game will blow you off the court. And with Safina’s mental game being her biggest opponent, she better try and keep it together. We’re banking on Williams in 3.
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