Australian Bernard Tomic will begin next week’s Australian Open with confidence after recent victories over Novak Djokovic, Tommy Haas and Florian Mayer at the Hopman Cup and Sydney International.
Tomic will play Leonardo Mayer from Argentina in the first round, and faces a potential third round clash with Roger Federer.
With last year’s Wimbledon trophy in his collection, 31-year-old Roger Federer has proven he is still a force to be reckoned with. I wonder how much longer he can keep up, but the Swiss master will be no doubt looking for a grand slam trophy to start the year off.
Defending champion Novak ‘Nole’ Djokovic is still the player to beat. Nole will attempt to prove he still deserves the number 1 title as he plays for his fourth Australian Open title.
Djokovic enters the tournament in good form after playing well at the Hopman Cup, despite losing in the final. Anything less than a trophy will be unsatisfactory for the Serbian, and expect him to be a dangerous opponent for whoever he draws.
It may have taken Scotland’s Andy Murray a while to get there, but last year he won his first grand slam trophy at Flushing Meadows in New York.
Andy will look to improve upon his recent results in Melbourne where he has come close in the past. Murray comes off the back of an impressive win in Brisbane and is my favourite to lift the trophy.
With the news that Rafael Nadal will not return from injury to play in Melbourne, the Spaniard will fall from the top-four ATP rankings. There are a number of players capable of not only replacing his position in the rankings, but perhaps lifting a grand slam trophy in 2013.
First thought must go to Nadal’s compatriot David Ferrer, who plays with a similar style and has frequently had success in the Australian Open. However at 31 this year, and with no grand slam trophies to his name, Ferrer is not my favourite to replace Nadal.
Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro has won a US Open trophy, and is beginning to play well again and challenge the top-four after suffering an injury. Del Potro played well at the recent Kooyong Classic in Melbourne and I can see him making the top-four and perhaps winning a second grand slam sometime this year.
Also in contention for the fourth place position and a grand slam trophy are the Czech Republic’s Tomas Berdych and France’s Joe-Wilfried Tsonga.
And be sure to keep an eye out for South Africa’s Kevin Anderson and Canda’s Milos Raonic, who have what it takes to become very good players in the future.
Lleyton Hewitt will be hoping for another great Australian Open after last year’s impressive run into the second week, where he was defeated by Djokovic. After his recent brilliant performances at the Kooyong Classic, the 31-year-old will hope to turn back the clock on home soil.
Be sure to watch the Australian Open when it begins on Monday, and check out The Roar for more reviews and predictions in the coming days.
Justin Cormick
Roar Guru
Hewitt is playing very well again, practically demolishing Del Potro in the Kooyong final. However, as we saw in a Davis Cup tie last year he can play well but may have trouble bouncing back after a long match. That is when he shows his age and may struggle.
Justin Cormick
Roar Guru
Yeah Dimitrov is good, I remember when I saw him first in the Hopman Cup a year or two ago and I think he can do well in the year or so ahead.
Alan
Roar Guru
Yeah Jayden but lets be careful., Hewitt won the Kooyong Classic two years ago but ended up losing to an unfit Nalbandian in five sets in the first round of the Aus Open.
Jayden
Guest
Tipsarivic is a good game for Hewitt, if he pulls through its relatively easy up to Ferrer. I was thinking about Hewitt the other day and I've come up with this idea He's like the shark that can smell blood in every ocean in the world no matter how far away, but hes to old or injured to get there before the prey swims away. Basically he's revered for his comeback ability and the way he snatches on any opportunity, but now he's more of the danger man you never want to face because if he's firing he's in the top 6 in the world We saw how he dismantled Berdych and Raonic this week, if he can play like that he'll beat Tipsarevic... Hopefully
Alan
Roar Guru
Justin - I would keep an eye out for Dimitrov - the young Bulgarian. Great elegant game like Federer. Just needs to improve his fitness but he has the talent to cause great trouble. Hewitt's draw isin't too bad given that he is in Ferrer's corner. If he can get past Tipsarevic and make it to Ferrer, the Australian will fancy his chances in that quarter-final given their similiar game styles. Del Potro's draw is not too bad either and faces a nice quarter-final with Andy Murray should he make it.
Alexander Grant
Roar Pro
I feel sorry for Paire because I like his game and wanted to see more of him. But you never know.
Alexander Grant
Roar Pro
An absolute joke of a draw for Djokovic, and he really has no excuses for not making the final. Federer and Murray likely to fight it out on the other half. Must give a mention to Hewitt playing eighth seed Tipsarevic, and I think the Aussie can win that one. And if he does it could open the draw up for him through to the fourth round.
Atawhai Drive
Guest
ABC Grandstand put out a message on Twitter yesterday, asking for people to respond with tweets about which Aussie and international tennis stars they would be rooting for at the Australian Open. You can imagine some of the responses, including: 'I try not to think of tennis stars when I'm rooting.' I'll barrack for Federer.
Bearfax
Guest
Finally the talent is beginning to be revealed in results. He could be anything. Just needs the confidence.
matt
Guest
Anderson is a journeyman. Tomic finally showing why all the fuss is justified. no luck in the draw for Del P, Tsonga or Berdych who would have loved to have been in Ferrers Qtr which is now left wide open. Joker should stroll into the final where he will find himself a comfortable fav. Tough draw for Fed, even in R1 he faces an energetic youngster heading nicely up the rankings. A tough R2 with old sparring partner DavyD could leave the Fed vulnerable to Tomic on what would be a Saturday night blockbuster.
The no. Three
Guest
Wait till the journos jump on his bandwagon. They were critisizing Tomic not long ago. They know who they are....
Turnover
Roar Guru
3rd round exit for Bernie then. jerzy janowicz deserves a mention after his run at the masters last year, despite losing in Auckland 1st round.