Week #3-4 preview: Australian Open

Australian Open (Melbourne), Grand Slam, A$20,600,000

The first Grand Slam of 2009 is here and it is not easy to predict which players will reach the final rounds, as there are not clear leaders dominanting the Tour and many of the top players are not at their best form. The top favourites to the title will be the Williams Sisters, as they have already shown that they can play their best in the big events even if they are not in their best form. There are some doubts about Serena's physical condition, but Venus seems to be fit and she closed 2008 season with a great victory in the WTA Championships. Unfortunately for them, they should meet in an eventual semifinal. A step behind we find WTA #1 Jelena Jankovic, who doesn't seem to be at her best and still lacks of a Grand Slam title to be finally considered a real #1, and Russians Dinara Safina (WTA #3), Elena Dementieva (WTA #4) and Vera Zvonareva (WTA #7), who were the most regular players during 2008 season and seem to be in good shape for this event. Specially Dementieva, who is unbeaten this season after winning the titles in Auckland and Sydney. Title holder Maria Sharapova will not be able to defend her crown as she's not fully recovered from her shoulder injury, and Ana Ivanovic and Svetlana Kuznetsova are not at their best and don't seem to be able to fight for the title. Some of the most promising youngsters on the Tour might take advance of the irregularity of the best players to get a place into the final rounds, so watch out players as Caroline Wozniacki, Agnieszka Radwanska, Victoria Azarenka, Alize Cornet and Dominika Cibulkova.