AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS PREVIEW BY GLOBAL CHICK , THE COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN , IT’S ONLY HOURS AWAY FROM THE FIRST BALL HIT

Written by: Global Chick on 18th January 2015

AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS PREVIEW BY GLOBAL CHICK , THE COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN , IT'S ONLY HOURS AWAY FROM THE FIRST BALL HIT |

It’s that time of year again, where the winter months give way to people sweltering in the Aussie heat (making those of us who have to de-ice cars… it happens…) very jealous.

This chick’s body clock is soon to be finely tuned to waking up at all hours, happy in the knowledge that when she turns on the telly-box her neighbours will be treated to sleepy cheers and jeers as she catches up with the news from the Australian Open.

So while we consider setting the heating to come on in Aussie time for the full effect, here is part one of Global Chick’s Aussie Open previews!

Men’s Draw Preview

Perhaps you will allow us a moment to mourn the withdrawal of former US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro, whose wrist is still proving troublesome. The first Slam of the year can always be unpredictable and after last year’s staggering injury count, we already have a few high profile absentees. JMDP is one, and now a contrite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who regrets pushing his injured elbow at the ill-fated Davis Cup final (and presumably the lucrative IPTL too!). We also lose the incumbent US Open champion Marin Cilic.

So who do we think will lift the crown? Right now, jolly Uncle Roger Federer is looking to be the freshest of all the daisies for now (or are daffodils more manly?).His performance in Brisbane had moments of rustiness, sure, and Raonic actually did push him in the final, but there’s no replacement for a wealth of experience, and Federer has it in bucket loads. And at the moment he is the clearest favourite while Rafael Nadal is still a touch rusty. There is no replacement for match sharpness, but let’s be fair – he has two weeks to play himself into form but he has a tricky customer with Mikhail Youzhny straight off the bat.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic has been feeling somewhat peaky, stepping away from the Mubadala final with a walkover (or should that be run though…to the bathroom?) and is still suffering a little. Meanwhile Andy Murray is full of the joys of a much more harmonious team, and we are yet to see if his mumblings will be in more colourful French than guttural Anglo-Saxon.

We want to keep a more watchful eye on US Open finalist Kei Nishikori. If there is to be a new name on the trophy in two weeks’ time, he is probably the leader of the chasing pack right now, although Raonic’s start to the season has not been too shabby either, but we would still give Nishikori the edge.

Then again, maybe defending champion Stan Wawrinka will surprise us. He might not really have delivered much past his first Masters title as well last year, but he started promisingly enough in Chennai, so it remains to be seen if he can rise above the mental challenges of defending one’s first Slam title.

On the one hand, it will not be too long before one, two or all of the Big Four start re-asserting their dominance, but it would be fun to see the new gang start mixing things up a bit.

LADIES PREVIEW UPDATE AND TIDBITS :

Hilarity of the year so far had to be Serena Williams asking for an espresso at a Hopman Cup that did not show the World No. 1 to be truly at her best. Sure it’s a non-ranking, fun team event, and we can’t help wondering if her decision to eschew the chance of a three-peat at Brisbane was the right one. Meanwhile Maria Sharapova has closed the gap between her and Williams to a tantalising Slam title away (providing Williams runs out of espresso before the final). And we have a quiet fancy that the women’s draw will be the one that pulls up the surprise.

It does feel a little too soon to see two-time champion Victoria Azarenka making a Slam run and we just hope that her comeback does not go the way of the “Del Potro” but there is no denying her rematch with Sloane Stephens is pure popcorn!

Does it make us bad if we want to see either Simona Halep or Agnieszka Radwanska finally get their manicured mitts on the trophy? Halep is still quite refreshingly wide eyed and bushy tailed about her catapult up the rankings, compared to say the confidence of Eugenie Bouchard before she was totally steam-rollered by Petra Kvitova in Wimbledon. And you feel Halep is just knocking at the door, and sooner or later will be the one giving the winner’s speech.

It really is about time that Radwanska did the same – and admittedly it was only at Hopman Cup but she needs to take the confidence from a win over Williams to know she can beat the top hard hitters. Ok, so she bundled herself off to Melbourne early with an opening round departure, but again it feels about time we had a change in the air.

We wouldn’t count out “P3tra” either. Kvitova’s complete demolition of Bouchard at Wimbledon was a sight to behold, an she really does seem more at ease with the champion’s mantle. She has looked a little nervous at times already this season, even passive by her own admission, but it wouldn’t surprise us to see her the last one standing on Saturday night, morning, whatever time-zone it is by then.

If we had to pick a dark horse, maybe it is time for Ivanovic to show us that she can win a Slam once more. In fact that seems to be her target and there is such a renewed confidence in her and, dare we say it, a real sense of enjoyment when she plays that may well carry her over the finishing line with a fist-pump and a smile!

So all that remains is for us to set our alarm clocks, stock up on the coffees and get ready for the Happy Slam.

Topics: 2015 Australian Open, Aussie Open, global chick, tennis preview

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10sBalls_com says:

January 18, 2015 at 9:55 am

-@AustralianOpen #TENNIS PREVIEW BY GLOBAL CHICK, THE COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN, IT’S ONLY HOURS AWAY… http://t.co/UN0L6wUBIG #AusOpen #AO2015