For an Australian tennis fan, it can’t get any better than the Australian summer of tennis during a jam-packed January.
Through Brisbane, Perth, Hobart and Sydney, the world’s best tennis professionals warm up before they take to Melbourne Park in one of Australia’s greatest sporting events – the Australian Open.
As the tennis season comes upon us, it is now time to preview the summer of tennis and the big question outside the winner of the Open is, how far can the Aussies go?
Firstly, we have Brisbane and Perth where the Brisbane International and the Hopman Cup are played respectively.
The big news from Perth is that Nick Kyrgios is out with a back complaint and Mathew Ebden will take his place alongside Casey Dellaqua for Australia. This tournament always sees terrific tennis as for one of the few times in the year the competitors are playing officially for their country.
Two groups of four countries are created, with Group A involving Canada, Czech Republic, Italy and the USA, who are the favourites with big serving John Isner and the champion herself Serena Williams. In Group B we have Australia, France, Poland and Great Britain, where the French and Polish teams are very hard to separate with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Alizé Cornet for France up against Agnieszka Radwanska and Jerzy Janowicz.
This promises to be a very competitive tournament with quality players lining up for all countries. However, I feel as if it will be the US who will win the 2015 Hopman Cup, with just too much firepower.
Moving to Brisbane, where the Pat Rafter Arena will see another competitive line-up take place at the Brisbane International. Unfortunately the defending champion in the men’s division, Juan Martin del Potro, is out, leaving the draw wide open.
Contenders include Milos Raonic, Kei Nishikori and Grigor Dimitrov after fantastic campaigns in 2014. However, the red hot favourite is the incredible Roger Federer, who returns to Australia looking for his first Australian Open title since 2010.
Six Austalians are in the men’s draw including Bernard Tomic, Marinko Matosevic and the veteran Lleyton Hewitt. Watch out for young guns Sam Groth and James Duckworth to also provide some entertainment.
Australia’s charge in the women’s draw is run by Sam Stosur, who returns to her home state. Our only hope in the draw will come up against the likes of Ana Ivanovic, Victoria Azarenka, Angelique Kerber and the glamorous Maria Sharapova. Brisbane promises to create much drama in a very open women’s draw, with a number of top 30 players present.
Federer and Sharapova both have great records in Australia, and despite a lot of competition in their respective draws, I expect both of these champions to win in Brisbane before stamping their authority on the first Grand Slam of the year.
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