Australian Open Preview

The night session on the Rod Laver Arena (Melbourne, Australia)

The first Grand Slam is about to begin in few hours now and I'm sorry to give you this article that late but did not have enough time with classes, exams and so on. Whatever, I'm back and strongly back to give you my impressions on the draw and what could happen. Of course, the best way to figure out will be after both first days about the level of each player and possible upsets. Let's first have a look at the 16 sections of the draw and discuss about it. Favorites will be highlighted in red while "dark horses" will be in blue.


SECTION 1 :
[1] WOZNIACKI, Caroline DEN v RODIONOVA, Anastasia AUS
[WC] BARTY, Ashleigh AUS v TATISHVILI, Anna GEO
PARMENTIER, Pauline FRA v KUDRYAVTSEVA, Alla RUS
CORNET, Alize FRA v [31] NICULESCU, Monica ROU

Comments : A quite confortable section for Caroline Wozniacki, the world number one. She'll prevail in this section in an easy way if her wrist is somehow healed. I can see her facing Alize Cornet from France in the 3rd round, who, if she magically find back her smoothy game could really make her run for her money. Monica Niculescu could really be upset by the frenchwoman because of her inconsistency and her game that sometimes can totally fall appart.


SECTION 2 : 
[24] SAFAROVA, Lucie CZE v MCHALE, Christina USA
[Q] PAVLOVIC, Irena FRA v ERAKOVIC, Marina NZL
[Q] CHANG Kai-Chen TPE v MARTIC, Petra CRO
[Q] ROBSON, Laura v [13] JANKOVIC, Jelena SRB
 
Comments : A tough section to predict. In fact, the 1st round match between Lucie Safarova and Christina McHale will be one of the matches to watch out. The talented american youngster has showed before that she was able to produce some beautiful tennis. On her side, Jelena Jankovic got a tricky first round against Laura Robson, the talented british player who she faced before, in Wimbledon. If somehow the serbian pass through this 1st round, she should prevail in this section thanks to her consistency from the baseline.


SECTION 3 : 
[11] CLIJSTERS, Kim BEL v [Q] KOHELER, Maria Joao POR
FORETZ GACON, Stephanie FRA v BALTACHA, Elena GBR
RUS, Arantxa NED v TSURENKO, Lesia UKR
[Q] LEPCHENKO, Varvara v [20] HANTUCHOVA, Daniela SVK

Comments :  An easy section for both Kim Clijsters and Daniela Hantuchova, who, if, they don't totally fall appart or forget their tennis somewhere, should meet for a third round match. I gave the edge to Daniela Hantuchova because of the good tennis she can produce on this surface like she did in 2008 and because of Kim Clijsters health that is very questionnable. Well, I gotta confess I did so also because I like Daniela's game and seeing her playing on the court. The thing is, I can't see anyone above those who could distrub Daniela and Kim to meet. Really.

SECTION 4 :
[26] MEDINA GARRIGUES, Anabel ESP v BIRNEROVA, Eva CZE
MAYR-ACHLEITNER, Patricia AUT v GOVORTSOVA, Olga BLR
ARVIDSSON, Sofia SWE v [WC] ROGOWSKA, Olivia AUS
PERVAK, Ksenia KAZ v [5] LI, Na CHN

Comments : On this surface, this is the kindest Li Na could have ever dreamt of. No one, except perhaps Ksenia Pervak, could make the upset and make her dismissed. None of the players in that section are in form enough or just consistant enough to deal with Li Na's game on Plexcushion. Even the other seed, Anabel Medina Guarrigues won't be able to challenge her. 

SECTION 5 : 
[3] AZARENKA, Victoria BLR v WATSON, Heather GBR
[WC] DELLACQUA, Casey AUS v JOVANOVSKI, Bojana SRB
KEOTHAVONG, Anne GBR v BARTHEL, Mona GER
MORITA, Ayumi JPN v [32] CETKOVSKA, Petra CZE

Comments : A quite tough section to handle for Victoria Azarenka. No doubt she's the strong favorite out there but her first round against the talented Heather Watson could be tricky, it's not like Heather did not give Maria Sharapova a hard time during the last US Open. Petra Cetkovska, when she's on, is really able to beat anyone, but lately, she's been quite erratic, so it will really depend on how she shows up. We can't exclude Mona Barthel who won at Hobart last week beating Yanina Wickmayer comprehensively in the final. Bojana Jovanovski loves playing on big courts against big names and if she meets Azarenka, she could really make her have a bad time. To finish with, Casey Dellacqua lived the best moments of her career here, in Melbourne, when se defeated Amelie Mauresmo in 2008, in the 3rd round. In front of home crowd, who knows what she's able to produce ? Whatever, I can see Victoria passing through those rounds like a storm if she's wildely on. An interesting section to follow for sure.


SECTION 6 : 
[19] PENNETTA, Flavia ITA v [Q] BRATCHIKOVA, Nina RUS
BRIANTI, Alberta ITA v FALCONI, Irina USA
BENESOVA, Iveta CZE v JOHANSSON, Mathilde FRA
[WC] REZAI, Aravane FRA v [16] PENG, Shuai CHN

Comments : An interesting section for sure ! Hard to say who to favor really because I really don't know how those ladies will show up. Well, I can't see Alberta Britani or Irina Falconi as potential winners in this section. Flavia Pennetta is one of the steadiest player on tour but since her doubles' career has been great, she seemed to let down the singles a little bit but she's still a big contender when she's on. Shuai Peng is coming back from injury and we don't know yet which tennis she's able to produce, really but if she comes back at hundered percent, she'll be a major threat in this section just like her oppenent Aravane Rezai who had a tough year splitting up with her father and if she somehow regroup for this year and this tournament, she'll be really hard to handle. This is the section of the unknown and I'd say that the one who'll win the 1st round match between Rezai and Peng, will advance until the 4th round. Let's say Aravane !


SECTION 7 : 
[10] SCHIAVONE, Francesca ITA v POUS-TIO, Laura ESP
YAKIMOVA, Anastasiya BLR v OPRANDI, Romina ITA
DATE-KRUMM, Kimiko JPN v DANIILIDOU, Eleni GRE
HERCOG, Polona SLO v [22] GOERGES, Julia GER


Comments : Again a tough on to predict. Even if Anastasia Yakimova seems a bit weaker than the others,  thus I can't see her making it any further than 1st round. A third round between Fransesca Schiavone and Julia Goerges is likely to happen but the thing is players such as Kimiko Date-Krumm and Romina Oprandi could really threaten this theorical match-up. In fact, since the beginning of the year, Julia Goerges has been quite erratic (is this have something to do with her switch from Wilson to Babolat ?). Nonetheless, she's able to produce such a powerful and all-round tennis that I'll take the risk to favor her in this section, even over Schiavone, who could be overwhelmed by Julia's firepower.


SECTION 8 : 
[28] WICKMAYER, Yanina BEL v VOSKOBOEVA, Galina KAZ
PIRONKOVA, Tsvetana BUL v MIRZA, Sania IND
[Q] ORMAECHEA Paula, ARG v HALEP, Simona ROU
MATTEK-SANDS Bethanie, USA v [8] RADWANSKA, Agnieszka POL


Comments : An interesting section where the strongest favortie is clearly Agniezska Radwanska but her task to deal with this draw won't be easy. For sure, her first round against Bethanie Mattek-Sands won't be easy, especially if Queen Beth is in form. Yania Wickmayer will face Voskoboeva Galina and when this girl is on, she can pull out big upsets like she did in Toronto beating both Marion Bartoli and Maria Sharapova. Tsvetana Pironkova seemed quite erratic these times but Sania Mirza is the kind of player who can, from anywhere, be back to her top, and when she plays at her momentum, she's tough to handle. It will be interesting to see how much Radwanska can dominate this section.


SECTION 9 :
[7] ZVONAREVA, Vera RUS v DULGHERU, Alexandra ROU
RODINA, Evgeniya RUS v HRADECKA, Lucie CZE
MAKAROVA, Ekaterina RUS v TANASUGARN, Tamarine THA
LARSSON, Johanna SWE v [25] KANEPI, Kaia EST

Comments : An interesting section where Vera Zvonareva and Kaia Kanepi seems to emerge as hot favorites. The thing is Kaia Kanepi won at Brisbane playing an impressive tennis while Vera Zvonareva lost her opening match against Svetlana Kuznetsova last week at Sydney. Vera will have a tough 1st round against Alexandra Dulgheru, who is able to produce a good quality tennis against anyone. Apart from those three, I can see Ekaterina Makarova, the lefty russian who is always a threat when she's and who could do some damages in the draw. As a favourite, I'd favor Vera though, over Kaia. 


SECTION 10 : 
[17] CIBULKOVA, Dominika SVK v RYBARIKOVA, Magdalena SVK
MARINO, Rebecca CAN v ARN, Greta HUN
BREMOND, Iryna FRA v ZAHLAVOVA STRYCOVA, Barbora CZE
PASZEK, Tamira AUT v [12] WILLIAMS, Serena USA

Comments : No one can't help oneself to feel that Serena Williams is the clear favorite in this section and that nobody will be able to threaten her. But her first round against Tamira Paszek can be really tricky and we should never count out Dominika Cibulkova who is one of the most regular player on tour. Beside those two player, I really can't see anyone else giving Serena troubles.


SECTION 11 : 
[14] LISICKI, Sabine GER v [Q] VOEGLE, Stefanie SUI
PEER, Shahar ISR v [WC] HOLLAND, Isabella AUS
STEPHENS, Sloane USA v SOLER-ESPINOSA, Silvia ESP
SCHEEPERS, Chanelle RSA v [18] KUZNETSOVA, Svetlana RUS

Comments : A really tough section to predit as basically, almost all players got what it takes to reach the 4th round. In fact, Sabine Lisicki, when she's on, could really dominate without problems even if she has to face Svetlana Kuznetsova. The thing is her form is questionnable since she withdrew from Sydney last week due to injury. If she's not totally healthy, players like Shahar Peer could upset her, because of her consistency. Kuznetsova will have a tricky first round against Chanelle Scheepers and, if she's on a bad day, she could totally lose to her. To finish with, one of the greatest american hopes, Sloane Stephens has what it takes to do some damages in that draw. I'd favor Sabine as a hot favorite though.


SECTION 12 :
[30] KERBER, Angelique GER v [WC] BOBUSIC, Bojana AUS
DUBOIS, Stephanie CAN v VESNINA, Elena RUS
MINELLA, Mandy LUX v HAMPTON, Jamie USA
DULKO, Gisela ARG v [4] SHARAPOVA, Maria RUS

Comments : Maria Sharapova seems to be by far the favorite among those players. But she struggled lately with an ankle injury and we all know that since her come back from shoulder injury, her serve has been shaky as hell. She's got first a tough first round to deal with since she faces Gisela Dulko that could upset her. Gisela is clearly a "giant killer" and have beaten Maria before in a grand slam, it was in Wimbledon in 2009. If she survives to Dulko, she should have a quite easy second round before facing either Angelique Kerber or Elena Vesnina and, in a good day, both girls, are able to cause some troubles to Maria, especially if she's rusty. If she stays focused and play well, Maria should reach the 4th round.


SECTION 13 : 
[6] STOSUR, Samantha AUS v CIRSTEA, Sorana ROU
[Q] RISKE, Alison USA v RADWANSKA, Urszula POL
[Q] SAVINYKH, Valeria RUS v ERRANI, Sara ITA
[Q] HLAVACKOVA ,Andrea CZE v [29] PETROVA, Nadia RUS

Comments : A quite enigmatic section I gotta confess ! We don't know where those players are with their tennis and their mental. In fact, Samantha Stosur, the US Open champion, plays a good tennis overall but is totally terrified in front of home crowd, as she showed it in Brisbane losing to Iveta Benesova. While, Nadia Petrova is nearly 30 now and we don't know still how she'll show up, if she plays well, she could pull the upset in that section. Looming players in this section are really dangerous : Sorana Cirstea is a former quarterfinalist in Roland Garros and still got a teremendous firepower and could uspet a nervous Stosur. Alison Riske is a talented american youngster that is able to play well when she's on but her first round against Urzula Radwanska will be hard to handle as the young polish got what it takes ti figure well there. I'd favor Sorana Cirstea even if it's totally crazy.


SECTION 14 : 
[23] VINCI, Roberta ITA v CADANTU, Alexandra ROU
[WC] KEYS, Madison USA v ZHENG, Jie CHN
DOKIC, Jelena AUS v [SR] CHAKVETADZE, Anna RUS
RAZZANO, Virginie FRA v [9] BARTOLI, Marion FRA

Comments : A quite tough section there as all players got the potential to shine depending on how they'll show up. Marion Bartoli seems a quite fair favorite as she's a Top 10 player and that she became more and more consistant. She's facing frenchwoman Virginie Razzano and should be careful since Razzano always give her a run for her money and that she'ds not leading their head-to-head. After that, she'll have to face the winner of the 1st round match to watch out : Jelena Dokic or Anna Chakvetadze. Those two girls could also cause big dammages on the court if they are healthy and focused enough. The most dangerous floatter remains Jie Zheng who won in Auckland this year and seems to be strongly back, and Marion's game fits perfectly Jie's, and we know that Marion has always have big troubles with her. We must not count out Madison Keys, the talented american youngster that is perhaps still immature to get involved in the big fight in that section. To finish with, I don't know what to think about Roberta Vinci who shouldn't be a threat on that surface and that I did not see play for a while.


SECTION 15 : 
[15] PAVLYUCHENKOVA, Anastasia RUS v ZAKOPALOVA, Klara CZE
BONDARENKO, Kateryna UKR v KING, Vania USA
BARROIS, Kristina GER v KRAJICEK, Michaella NED
DOMINGUEZ LINO, Lourdes ESP v [21] IVANOVIC, Ana SRB

Comments : A quite weak section where the two seeded players Anasatsia Pavlyuchenkova and Ana Ivanovic are totally out of form. Well, actually, Ivanovic is still so up and down, she played good at Brisbane before falling in the 1st round in Sydney to Lucie Safarova. Vania King can be dangerous but she's out of form and the same goes for Kateryna Bondarenko. I can see Micheala Krajicek, one of the mot dangerous player out there, doing things in that draw but overall, I'd favor Ana Ivanovic who loves to play in Australia.


SECTION 16 : 
[27] KIRILENKO, Maria RUS v GAJDOSOVA, Jarmila AUS
[WC] ZHANG, Shuai CHN v WOZNIAK, Aleksandra CAN
BEGU, Irina-Camelia ROU v SUAREZ NAVARRO, Carla ESP
DUSHEVINA, Vera RUS v [2] KVITOVA, Petra CZE

Comments : Of course, Petra Kvitova is the hottest favorite out there and I really can't see who can make her lose before the 4th round. The only one who can beat her ... is herself ! In fact, we know that sometimes she can't handle the preassure and during this tournament, she just has to do a round better than Wozniacki in order to clinch the 1st spot and that could perhaps make her affraid. And if it's the case, sure both Maria Kirilenko and Jarmila Gajdosova will be able to do some damages. Beside those, I can't see anyone of other players doing well as they are out of form. But we can't count out Carla Suarez Navarro who usually plays good here.