2022 AO - Women’s Singles Preview

2022 Australian Open 

Womens Singles Preview 

There are 4 players in the draw who have won the Australian Open previously.

Defending champion Naomi Osaka also held the trophy aloft in 2019.

Sofia Kenin triumphed in 2020, Angelique Kerber 2016, and Victoria Azarenka 2012-13.

Kerber, by not holding a racquet in anger since last year, hasn’t shown anything at all, so hard to judge where she is at, although geographically she is in Melbourne - handy, as she is due to play Kaia Kanepi in a first round match on Tuesday. Kanepi has a record of upsetting highly ranked women in majors, but now approaching pension card eligibility, she doesn’t pose much of a test for Angie.

Second seed Aryna Sabalenka is the round of sixteen hurdle drawn for Kerber, however if Angie reaches that far, Sabalenka most likely won’t be there, for her seeding number equates to about the number of winning shots she has hit this year.

The third round is where Angie’s competition begins, and she will meet 24th seed  Leylah Fernandez, who Canadians maintain is the true winner of the 2021 US Open. Just because she beat a whole lot of the top players and was worn out for the final.

That must comfort Leylah a whole lot more than the mere spoils flowing to Emma Raducanu, including the actual championship, millions in endorsements, an MBE, and a top 20 ranking.

Pity for Emma that she will, in her first Australian Open, lose to 2017 US Open champion, Sloane Stephens in the opening round.

If she magically lasts longer, it will be either 14th seed Simona Halep, or third seed Garbiñe Muguruza to eventually help pack her bags, but now we’re talking serious contenders.

Halep, fresh from her first title win on Australian soil, should meet Muguruza, the 2020 AO runner-up, in a round of sixteen encounter. The winner, for me, is on track for a finals berth, even allowing for quarter final danger in Anett Kontaveit (6) (semi finalist in Adelaide then Sydney), or Elena Rybakina (runner up to Barty in Adelaide); and semi final nuisance in Iga Swiatek (7) (semi finalist in Adelaide, losing to Barty).

Sofia Kenin can’t take a trick down under, ever since her 2020 AO success. Last year, appendicitis affected her preparation, and she was turfed from the event by Kanepi.

This year, she began with promise in Adelaide with a couple of wins, including a comeback against Aussie Ajla Tomljanovic, before national revenge aka a Barty brutalisation.

Trauma remained after travelling to Sydney, confirmed by the first round destruction inflicted by Daria Kasatkina. And all Melbourne can offer is an AO opener against unseeded Madison Keys. Madison just won in Adelaide, and in doing so didn’t mind dismissing fellow Americans. She warmed up on CoCo Gauff, then took Alison Riske to the cleaners in the final, so 11th seed Sofia is next on the menu.

Victoria Azarenka is seeded #24, and her time in Australia this year has included some fun in Adelaide where she played doubles with Paula Badosa. But the partnership was tested when Vika knocked Paula out of the singles in round one. Still, semis in doubles and quarters in singles, (beaten by Iga Swiatek) is not a bad hit out before Melbourne. Vika may well manage Elina Svitolina (15) in round three - Mrs Monfils was shown the exit in round one in both Adelaide efforts - but I’m not so confident about her chances in the round of sixteen where Barbora Krejcikova should be waiting. The fourth seed was a good thing beaten in the Sydney final, requiring the best of Badosa and a third set tie break.

Badosa is 8th seed, and a replay of the Sydney final is certainly on the cards come AO quarter final time.

Naomi Osaka won a few matches in a Melbourne Park tournament before withdrawing with an injury excuse. Pretty sure there was shopping to do after the injury quickly was resolved.

Further shopping is on the cards over the next weeks, particularly for another of the Australian Opens to which Naomi has taken a liking.

Sadly for the 13th seed, that Barty women placed an order for the last of the 2022 model; That order will be partially delivered after what will be a round of sixteen match between the pair, and for Ash Barty the key to unlocking the door to a finals run.

Still, Naomi is welcome to return in 12 months and check if there is one in stock then. 

What does that all mean ?

My forecast semi finalists:

Ash Barty (1) v Paula Badosa (8)

Garbiñe Muguruza (3) v Iga Swiatek (7)

Final: Ash Barty to defeat Garbiñe Muguruza