- The Australian Open started on Monday morning US time.
- The reigning champion Novak Djokovic is out following a big drama regarding his deportation process.
- Ashleigh Barty, the home favorite, is the No.1 contender to win the ladies’ title.
The Australian Open has started, and we’ve waited to see what happens with Novak Djokovic before writing this article.
A lot depended upon his situation, because the Serbian native stood by far as the biggest favorite for winning this tournament. He was after a historic quest that would not only earn him the 10th title in Melbourne, but also break a tie with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal atop the all-time Grand Slam titles list.
Australian Open Schedule
- Where: Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia
- When: January 17-30
- How to Watch: Eurosport, ESPN
Medvedev Top Favorite, Buch Looking to Dethrone the Russian
Daniil Medvedev, the US Open champion, is the top favorite for winning the first Grand Slam of the year. The Russian who reached the finals the previous year and lost to Novak in that one comes to Australia with one thing on his mind – to win another GS title.
For the moment, his game is at least one level above all others present in Australia, but there are few guys who might endanger him.
The first on the list is Alexander Zverev, the winner of the Olympic gold medal in Tokyo, who has high ambitions and who played solid tennis in the second part of 2021. Zverev’s main problem was the inability to find consistency in his game, but it seems that he made a massive step on that field.
Stefanos Tsitsipas is another guy who is eager to put his hands on the trophy. The Greek lost once in the finals, at Roland Garros, and wants redemption. His hot-headed temperament is something he needs to take care of first. Otherwise, we might see him eliminated early.
Andrey Rublev and Felix Auger-Aliassime are waiting from the dark, especially the young Canadian who is already full speed after winning the ATP Cup with Canada. Rafael Nadal is a sounding name, but the 20-time champ has nothing to look for here, to be honest, as his game on a hard surface is nothing more than mediocre.
Pick: Medvedev
Barty After Glory
The last Australian lady to win the Aussie Open was Christine O’Neal in 1978. So 43 years have passed since this happened, and the frustration among the fans down under is reaching its peak. At the moment, they have a perfect chance to see that curse breaking down, because the world No.1 Ashleigh Barty plays in wonderful form.
She won Wimbledon in 2021 and had a couple of other finals, but all the previous failures will be forgotten if she triumphs now.
The potential mines on her road to the glory could be Aryna Sabalenka, Belarus on the rise, Garbine Muguruza, the two-time Grand Slam champion, and numerous young girls who appeared in the previous several months.
Also, needless to mention that the two-time winner in Melbourne, Naomi Osaka, came back, and that she feels ready to terrorize the competition once again.
Pick: Barty
