Opinion
This is an Australian Open not to be missed. Carlos Alcaraz is, incredibly, going for a career grand slam at just 21 years of age. Jannik Sinner is striving to go back-to-back in Melbourne, while Novak Djokovic is pushing for an 11th title. And that’s just the men’s draw. The women’s singles will be incredibly tight, thanks to the genuine depth on the WTA Tour.
It’s always hard at the start of a season to assess the state of play and settle on the women’s favourite for Melbourne Park. Aryna Sabalenka, however, has been the dominant player on hard courts during much of the past few years. I feel Aryna has really settled into that position of world No.1 and will be hard to beat as she tries to win three Australian titles in a row. One of the top traits she has developed is great consistency. Plus, the Australian Open naturally suits her. Aryna also is now very comfortable playing in the latter stages of slams, fitted with the right temperament.
Kazakhstan star Elena Rybakina. Credit: Getty Images
China’s Zheng Qinwen will be in the mix again, having made the final in Melbourne last year when Sabalenka was almost unbeatable. Zheng’s game has developed and grown in spades. She’s coming off a gold medal triumph in Paris as well. There w
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