Djokovic seeded to face Federer in Open semis

She will face a qualifier in the first round, but could take on Monica Puig, who took her out of the Sydney International, in the second round.

With the top women’s ranks wracked with injury and illness, the two-time Grand Slam champion’s resurgence couldn’t come at a better time.

But unlocking the secret to winning three sets against potential semi-final opponent Djokovic on 34-year-old legs may prove beyond even the Swiss master. The former No. 1-ranked Azarenka was seeded No. 14 and ended up on the bottom half of the draw with No. 2 Halep, No. 3 Muguruza and No. 8 Venus Williams, avoiding Serena Williams and Sharapova.

“I’m playing much better”.

Top seed Djokovic, who wore down Andy Murray to win last year’s final at Melbourne Park, won three Grand Slam titles among 11 tournament victories in a stellar 2015 season, and a win-loss record of 82-6. The 2014 champion has reached semifinals in three of his last four Grand Slam semifinals and is the favorite to emerge from his section of the bracket.

As I said, the Stan-Nadal match could go either way if it happens.

“There’s no doubt that Murray had his most consistent year last year”, Gilbert said. The Wimbledon 2013 final in which he defeated the Serb is one example of that, and the shot was a real weapon for most of Queen’s and Wimbledon.

A potential third-rounder between Dimitrov and Federer could be a blockbuster, with Dimitrov looking for a first career win against his hero. But he doesn’t need it. This title is going to be his be it over Murray, Nadal or even Wawrinka in the final. With his wife Kim Sears expecting a baby, the Briton has confirmed that he will withdraw from the tournament in the event that Kim goes into labour.

“My number one goal is to try and win here”, says Murray to The Guardian about the upcoming Australian Open.

Murray’s shaky second serve is the single biggest weakness in Murray’s game, and can be exploited by most decent returners on the tour, let alone the greatest returner of all time in Djokovic.

Defending champions and No. 1-ranked Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams top the Australian Open seedings lists, which follow rankings ahead of the first Grand Slam tournament of 2016.

The 2016 Australian Open is the first of the four major Grand Slams and it’s set to get underway on Monday, Jan. 18.

Djokovic and Federer have met 44 times overall, the two splitting their head-to-head down the middle, 22 apiece.

Nadal has won once in Australia, over Federer in a classic five-set final in 2009, and has had some of his career low points with tournament-ending injuries in Melbourne. Feeling really good. Excited about it”, she added on Friday. “OK. I can’t think of any. “I am motivated for it”, the Spanish left-hander said.

The world number four tuned up by beating Croatia’s Borna Coric for a third straight Chennai Open title in India last week. For good measure, Murray also beat Mischa Zverev, Alexander’s older brother, in the same event. Also in the second section of the draw are Tomas Berdych, Marin Cilic, and Nick Kyrgios.