Tsonga 'It was tough to recognize Rod Laver Arena it's changed a lot'
It never fails to serve up surprising storylines and 2018 promises to be no different. "The trend of 30 somethings thriving in today's tennis landscape doesn't end with Roger (Federer), Rafa (Rafael Nadal), and the Williams sisters".
Djokovic is poised to return to action after recovering from his injury-plagued 2017 and he's expected to challenge for the title as well, but the Serb star says it is Federer and Nadal who should be feared most.
That means they can only play each other if they set up a rematch of last year's final. It throws the women's race wide open with Simona Halep the top seed.
"It's not an official match but still a test for me and good practice, that's the most important thing, that's the most important thing for the whole season", the 31-year-old Spaniard said, reaffirming his need to keep practising hard to be prepared for the Australian Open. But will his creaky knees hold up for two full weeks?
It is those who have failed to make the trip Down Under - or those who have limped here carrying injuries - who are causing a stir and, as a result, both draws are supposed to be there for the taking by any young hopeful with a bit of a courage and a hefty forehand. From the chasing pack, only Muguruza and Ostapenkoa have Slam titles to their name while the rest are all looking for their maiden trophy. An extension of the trend is not out of the question with Maria Sharapova unseeded in Melbourne. But for the leading favourites, there are plenty of records to chase after.
19-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer is placed as second seed while Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov and Germany's Alexander Zverev have been named third and fourth seed, respectively, the Daily Express reported.
The Open's top seed broke Thiem twice in the second set for the only breaks of the match.
Search Continues for Missing After Mudslides in California
It also included James Mitchell, who had celebrated his 89th birthday the day before with his wife, Alice, of more than 50 years. There are now five active missing persons cases, Brown said, though that number has continued to fluctuate throughout the week.
Nigeria to play England in friendly
England will prepare for the World Cup with friendlies against Nigeria and Costa Rica before flying to Russian Federation . Gernot Rohr's side started their World Cup preparation on a high after handing a 4-2 defeat to La Albiceleste in November.
Trump used vulgarity repeatedly, says senator in immigration row
He added the country "would be forced to take large numbers of people from high crime countries which are doing badly". He added: "I want a merit based system of immigration and people who will help take our country to the next level".
Seven-time champion Williams announced last week she wouldn't defend her title, saying she was "super close" but not quite ready to compete so soon after becoming a mother.
Then in 2017, after almost three years of suffering against Djokovic, the 10-time French Open champion appeared to change gears again, adding more pop to his serve and massively strengthening his double-handed backhand to better handle Djokovic's incessant pounding.
Will the real Next Gen please stand up?
Nick Kyrgios of Australia will be the highest seed amongst the Australians after being seeded 14th. So the player that does come through will all but likely have to face one of these NextGen guys. The Next Gen has been knocking on the door for a while, but will this year be finally when they breakthrough?
In the absence of Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka, only two former champions are in the women's draw. "Hopefully if I can reach the last few rounds, I will feel more comfortable".
Over to you, Melbourne Park, for a fortnight of the best this sport has to offer.
Recommended News
-
14 January 2018Trump gives 'last chance' ultimatum on Iran nuclear deal
Make the deal tougher, or the US will stop keeping its end of the bargain with sanctions relief. But it has said it would "shred" the deal if Washington quit.
14 January 2018Flu outbreak causes Detroit hospitals to restrict visits to patients under 13
The latest Influenza Surveillance Report which was released Friday said flu activity continues to increase across Canada. AL.com reported that hospitals in seven of the state's eight health districts were at 90 percent capacity on Friday.A Look At Recent Insider Trades For Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS)
Las Vegas Sands's payout ratio is 110.19%. (NYSE:LVS) has "Equal-Weight" rating given on Thursday, October 26 by Morgan Stanley. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 6,488 shares of the company's stock, valued at $434,436.48. -
2nd Test: SA 269/6 at stumps on Day 1
The 23-year-old right-hander Markram was particularly impressive, registering his second Test fifty which had 14 fours. Talking about the decision of batting first, Faf du Plessis expressed, " We are going to bat first again.
14 January 2018Will retaliate against new sanctions imposed by US: Iran
The last time the agreement came up for review, in October, aides had to talk him out of abandoning it completely. Trump has also continued to rail against the nuclear accord, calling it the "worst deal ever".
13 January 2018Olivia Munn roasts Mark Wahlberg at 2018 Critics' Choice Awards
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri won best drama at the Golden Globes , while Lady Bird won best comedy . Instead, we could end up with as few as five nominees, which is better than 10 for absolutely no one. -
Man dies in wrong-way crash in rural Osceola County, troopers say
Additional details about that crash had not been released by Friday evening. All southbound lanes were temporarily shut down during the investigation.
13 January 2018Liverpool's Salah fit to face Manchester City
This has the makings of a mouth-watering clash, as arguably the two most in-form teams are pitted against each other at Anfield . Mohamed Salah sat out the past two matches against Burnley and Everton with a groin injury , but is fit to play this weekend.Colgate Palmolive Co (NYSE:CL) Q3 2017 Institutional Investor Sentiment Steady
The stock of Companhia Energética de Minas Gerais (NYSE:CIG) has "Sell" rating given on Friday, July 14 by Goldman Sachs. Towerview Llc increased its stake in Corning Inc (GLW) by 10% based on its latest 2017Q3 regulatory filing with the SEC. -
14 January 2018Trump Says He Has a "Wonderful Relationship With Haitians" After "Shithole" Comments
The comments were "clearly" racist, Kalondo said, but stressed the USA was "much stronger than the sum total of one man". On CNN, while presenting a segment on the people of Haiti , saying the White House could learn from their dignity.TCI Wealth Advisors Inc. Raises Position in Apple Inc. (AAPL)
Barclays set a $162.00 target price on Apple and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 3rd. UBS Group set a $190.00 target price on Apple and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, January 5th.
13 January 2018English Premier League match report Tottenham Hotspur v Everton 13 January 2018
Everton haven't won away in the league at Spurs since November 2008 (1-0), drawing three and losing five since then. Son Heung-min was the best player on the pitch as he scored the opening goal, set up Kane's first and hit the post.
