Novak v Korean teenager

Heyon Chung has established himself as one of the next generation of players to challenge for the top level on the ATP tour.  Only 18 from Korea and in the world's top 50 he would have relished a challenge at this year's Australian Ooen and he indeed received that in the form of the world's best in round one.

Novak Djokovic is far and away the premier player and his routing of Nadal in Doha a matter of weeks ago only served as proof that 2016 is another year of torture for most of the other players on tour.

Well the young Korean put on a good display for the best part of set one, winning his serve and presenting Djokovic with more problems than expected.  It was 2-2 and Novak had been taken to 0-30 on one occasion.  The heat was also clearly a nuisance for the world number one.

Irrespective, Novak stepped it up in game five, using his sliced backhand to corner Chung before pulling out a winning forehand on the way to breaking the Korean serve. 4-2.

Surprisingly, Djokovic lost concentration and games were back on serve 4-3.  However that seemed to wake up the champion and he dominated as we know he can, and the set was soon his 6-3.

The trend continued in set two, and Chung could not hold serve, Djokovic playing shots at will, including a suite of drop shot, lob and cross court winner just to remind us had we forgotten what a magician he is.

The second set ran away from Chung and apart from his robust effort to save his serve in an 11 minute epic fifth game, Djokovic snapped up the set 6-2 and the match was almost his.

The final set had its course set immediately once Djokovic broke the Korean serve and led 2-0.  Although Chung continued to impress, he clearly has some time to go before being able to match it with the likes of Novak.

Djokovic will remain favourite to win Aus Open 2016.

Serena's Italian revenge

The last competitive match that Serena Williams played was her losing semi final at the 2015 US Open, and that was to Italian Roberta Vinci.  Today at Rod Laver Arena she would have her chance to avenge the Italian nation by defeating the 35th ranked Italian Camila Giorgi.

And the world number one began in tremendous style, with her serve and ground strokes on song.  She achieved an early break and to the credit of Giorgi, it was the only blemish, with the game score 3-1 in the American's favour.

At 4-2, the surprising heavy serving and general hard hitting from the diminutive Giorgi frustrated Serena who over hit a number of balls and the score moved to 4-3.

The younger Williams was undeterred, and down 0-30 offered up a slow kicker to the ad court and then a familiar ace to the deuce court and followed up with a wicked array of associated shots to clear out to 5-3.

Camila, undeterred, held serve again to give Serena the responsibility of serving the set out.  The Italian was forcing Serena to play some of her best tennis and the crowd was appreciative.  Normally the requirement of Williams in the early rounds is something far less than 100%.

Serena did win the set 6-4 but expectations now were for a second set of closely contested points throughout.

And that was how it progressed for the first few games, Giorgi pressing hard with the advantage of serving first.  Not many break chances surfaced and the confident stroke making from both players developed into what deserved to be more than a round one encounter. Serena levelled at 4-4 and no one was ready to predict how this set would fall.

Despite big serving and a top forehand from Camila, Serena brought it back to break point which Camila bravely saved.  Then huge hitting with risk payed off for the exciting Italian and she led 5-4.

Serena stood firm to no surprise and at 5-5 the pressure turned firmly onto Camila.

A massive forehand return followed by a lucky net cord setting up the next point gave Serena the edge 15-30 and 15-40 came quickly.  Both break points were saved via errant returns, something strange for the greatest player.  Giorgi was calm under the pressure, however unable to save the next break point created by Serena and the number one seed would serve for the match at 6-4 6-5.

A love game with aces ended proceedings and Serena Williams had what she required - a fierce competitive match and a win with many of her best elements on display.

Day One - Gavrilova v Hradecka

Newly adopted Australian Daria ("Dasha") Gavrilova, fresh from her Hopman Cup success, and a fulfilling 2015 which saw her rise in the rankings to 39, drew a tough first round opponent in the initial Aus  Open 2016 match on Margaret Court Arena.

Lucie Hradecka from the Czech Republic has been around the tour for a decade, and been as high as 41 in the world, now sitting at 53.

Both girls were solid in the opening games, with serves held for 2-2.  Gavrilova was first to venture into trouble, facing two break points in the fifth game, one saved with a down the line winner, the next with a poor shot at the net by Hradecka.  The Czech player brings back memories of Monica Seles, not in level of tennis but in that she uses a double handed shot on both forehand and backhand.  She failed to capitalise on the chance to break and the Australian led 3-2.

Hradecka served her way out of a sticky situation to even it up at 3-3 before Dasha almost wasted a 40-15 lead, instead edging ahead again.  No breaks of serve was quite impressive considering the nerves which must have been at play early on.

Lucie squared the ledger with the most impressive service game yet, highlighted by a quality winner at the net and another from the backhand wing.  Gavrilova was beginning to feel the superior power of Hradecka, and in the ninth game more break points needed to be saved.  The Hewitt-like determination came to the fore once more, and the score was 5-4 in Gavrilova's favour, despite the Czech player appearing often to have control.

Serving to stay in the first set, Lucie contributed a double fault and a fine return from Dasha saw 15-30 on the board.  A netted forehand from Lucie gave Dasha set point, impressively saved, before the serve was ultimately held and 5-5 reached.

Gavrilova fell apart in the next game, 0-40 and in peril.  Amazingly Hradecka again failed to convert any of the break points and the little Australian escaped to 6-5.

Tie breaker was required to determine the outcome of set one.

Two loose forehands from Hradecka, one long and one wide, gave Gavrilova a 3-0 lead.  Big hitting from Lucie brought it back to 3-3.  Gavrilova attacked the net and won the point on Hradecka's serve to lead 4-3 and proceeded to win the next three as well, the final point of the set a double fault from Hradecka.  Dasha had prevailed 7-6 against all odds and Lucie would be bemoaning all her break chances wasted.

Pushing the disappointment aside quickly, Hradecka held serve competently and then predictably pressured the Gavrilova serve into break point territory, this time 15-40.  Serving her way yet again out of disaster, Dasha won four straight points to level the set at 1-1.

No problems for Hradecka on serve, as per usual, with just a blazing forehand winning return the highlight for Gavrilova.  2-1 the Czech advantage.

No sign of a service break and 3-3.  And then all of a sudden a crack in the solid serve of Hradecka who faced 0-40.  One break point saved before a forehand slammed into the net resulted in the first service break of the match, incredibly achieved by Gavrilova, although much of the credit should go to Hradecka whose errors cost her dearly. 4-3 Dasha.

Covering the court brilliantly, and playing clever tennis shots, Gavrilova consolidated the service break easily to lead 5-3 and be one game from the second round.

Hradecka held comfortably and forced Gavrilova to serve for the match, and at 0-30 the nerves were clear to see.  Fortunately smart serving and patience of shot making was too much for Hradecka and the match was won by the Australian 7-6 (3) 6-4.

The second round will be much tougher against another Czech opponent in sixth seed Petra Kvitova who dropped just four games in her round one victory.

Aus Open predictions - Women's singles

If you thought it any way difficult picking results in the men's draw, then the ladies is a lottery.  Apart from Serena, whose succes still depends on her rather than whoever is at the other side of the net.

Interest in women's tennis should be at a high because compared with the same old story in the men's finals at grand slam level last year, we had new blood featuring in the female finales.  Yes in Melbourne it began with another Serena lesson for Sharapova but then at the French it was Lucie Safarova and at Wimbledon Garbine Muguruza who enjoyed losses to SW in debut GS finals.

And to close the grand slam drama two Italians fought out the US Open final, Roberta Vinci destroying Serena's Calendar Grand Slam dream, and Flavia Pennetta winning her first major.

So what can we expect in Melbourne this year ? We should pick through the draw and hazard a guess.  That's as scientific as I can be given the less than uniform entrance that many of the usual suspects have made to the 2016 Aus Open.

Serena Williams is top seed and must be favourite despite her lack of match practice since September.

If we can believe her knee problems are not a factor she should be able to negotiate a way through a tough first round before eventually reaching a likely fourth round clash with close friend and seemingly perennial GS opponent Caroline Wozniacki. 

Sharapova unluckily through injury has dropped her ranking and is seeded five, and with the random placement of seeds finds herself in a potential quarter final against Williams, whom she hasn't beaten since kindergarten.

However, I believe that Sharapova won't pass the fourth round because Svetlana Kuznetsova will be there to stop her.  Although seeded 23 Sveta is in the form that won her two majors, having just won the Sydney tournament, including the scalp of Simona Halep in the semis.

So Serena, after battling Kuznetsova would probably need to account for a confident Agnieszka Radwanska in the semis.  Radwanska won the season ending WTA finals and began 2016 with a win in China, and will need to be over an ill timed injury because she has a horror draw.

Because Genie Bouchard lost a stack of points last year she is unseeded, and she is drawn to play Aga in the second round, on the back of a final about to be played in Hobart.  A possible fourth round clash for Radwanska is with Sloane Stephens, the 24th seed who just won in Auckland, Wozniacki one of her victims.  Nothing is easy in the top half of the draw, but I do believe that Aga has the game to meet the challenges.

Petra Kvitova has been ill and her road to a possible quarter final with Radwanska is compromised a little because of that.  Fortunately her draw appears soft and she should have recovered after winning her relatively easy early matches.  If she is switched on, Kvitova could do almost anything as we have seen in her Wimbledon wins, but she hasn't produced consistently enough to convince me it will be here this year.

The bottom half of the draw certainly looks less likely to raise concerns for the top seeds at first glance.

However second seed Simona Halep is scheduled for a showdown with Venus Williams in the quarter finals should they win their earlier matches.  Venus, apart from her Auckland hiccup, has played some of her best tennis to finish 2015 and begin this year, so presents a major hurdle for Halep who desperately wants to win a first GS title.

And for me (and the bookies) the 14th seed is the one to watch out for.  Vika Azarenka has won this title twice, and has taken Serena to three sets at Flushing Meadows in 2 US Open finals.  She is back to full fitness and is playing out of her skin, having completed another victory, this time in Brisbane, tearing Angilique Kerber apart in the final.

The fourth round match up is likely to be Azarenka v third seed Garbine Muguruza and may well be the clash of the tournament at that point.  Muguruza is a star of the future and Vika is already there - the games are different with Vika needing to absorb the power of the Spanish player and use her clever placement and quickness in response.

I believe that Azarenka may have the necessaries this time round but 2016 can still be huge for Garbine.

After much umming and arring my crystal ball tells me that:

Serena Williams will meet and defeat Agnieszka Radwanska in one semi

Vika Azarenka will account for Simona Halep in the other semi

In a major upset I am foolish enough to select Azarenka to win this year's Aus Ooen.  I just wish she wouldn't scream unnecessarily. (same for Maria)

Aus Open predictions - Men's Singles

Shouldn't take long - Djokovic will win his sixth AO title - end of story.

However there is more to the tournament even if the fininish may be obvious to most, and of course the hottest of favourites have been known to fall at very unpredictable hurdles in past majors.

The draw has given us potential blockbuster matches from the very first round, and the random placement of seeds has assisted in ensuring this throughout.

Rafa Nadal as fifth seed was always going to be the key interest, and he fell on the bottom side of the draw, to the relief no doubt of Roger Federer, who won't have to meet his nemesis unless they both make the final.  It will be another Swiss player, Stan Wawrinka who will need to deal with the 2009 champion Spaniard in the quarter finals should they win their expected earlier matche.

That would be a return encounter at Melbourne Park bringing back memories of the 2014 final which saw Stan's major breakthrough at the expense of Nadal.

So the quarter finals if matches go according to seeds would be as follows:

Djokovic (1) v Nishikori (7)

Federer (3) v Berdych (6)

Wawrinka (4) v Nadal (5)

Murray (2) v Ferrer (8)

That may not be the final eight though, and the lead up form of a number of other players cannot be denied.

Yes, Novak in Doha defeated Berdych and destroyed Nadal to win his sixth straight tournament, and Stan won in Chennai comfortably.  Federer, though, lost his final in Brisbane to a confident Milos Raonic, and faces the prospect of an in form Grigor Dimitrov in the third round.  Dimitrov is currently threstening to win in Sydney if the weather ever allows the tournament to finish.

Murray hasn't played an ATP tournament, preferring the Hopman Cup as his lead up preparation, and his form looked OK for the best part, even allowing for the loss to Kyrgios.

Ferrer lost first round in Doha and just lost a three set battle with young American star Jack Sock in the semis in Auckland but he is usually in the right form for a deep run in Melbourne, possibly including a second round clash with the farewelling Lleyton Hewitt.

Berdych has done well in the last couple of Aus Opens and has many points to defend.  He faces the possibility of a third round big hitting contest against Aussie hopeful Nick Kyrgios.  The young firebrand has opened the season well in the Hopman Cup and appears to have concentrated his efforts on purely tennis and not the garbage that troubled his progress in 2015 and alienated him from many.

If Nick can harness his huge potential and be a little more patient, Berdych could find himself with one of the toughest early battles for the top seeds.

Of interest in the top part of the draw is ninth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, whose first round opponent is a fellow former AO finalist Marcos Baghdatis.  If Jo can find his way through that encounter, he could conceivably threaten the quarter final spot of Kei Nishikori, who will have his own trouble in round one with Kohlschreiber, a respected performer at Melbourne Park in the past.

Of course I must mention Australia's highest ranked player Bernard Tomic, seeded 16 and an impressive semi finalist in Brisbane, defeating Nishikori and only losing to eventual winner Raonic in two tiebreakers.  Tomic is in Murray's quarter of the draw and should on form face the Scot in the fourth round.  With the Australian's style of game he could annoy the hell out of Andy but I fancy Tomic may at this stage of his improving career lack an edge in pace around the court to be able to handle all of Murray's weapons.

While on the Brisbane event, the winner Raonic is well placed in the AO draw, with winnable matches through to a likely fourth round mouth watering clash with Wawrinka.  Raonic is ready to take down one of the big names in a grand slam setting and perhaps this is the tournament to stamp himself as the first of the next generation to join the elite group of Djokovic et al.

For all of the ifs buts and maybes, and analysis of the unknown, here are my predictions for how little they may be worth:

Djokovic to defeat Federer in one semi

Raonic to defeat Murray in the other semi (yes my money is on the Canadian to be the big story)

Novak to win the whole thing of course.

Aussie Open preparations - Women

As always the lead up preparations for the opening Grand Slam tournament of the year, be it ATP or WTA tournaments, or exhibition or other events, have thrown up a range of questions.

Injuries, illness and doubts over form, cloud the current possibilities of ultimate success at Melbourne Park in the next fortnight for many of the top ranked players, especially those of the female variety.  

Serena, despite her concerns, remains favourite to take another title, on the back of practically no competitive tennis.  Thankfully Simona Halep appears to have overcome her foot issue as she forges towards a trophy in Sydney.  

A tournament winner already this year, Aga Radwanska is struggling to be fit for the big one, and if she makes it to the start line her chance of a first major is perhaps as real as ever given her finish to 2015 and her increased belief in her ability to finish off not just middle of the road tournaments.

Maria Sharapova, with hardly any tennis since the middle of 2015, performed remarkably well in the season ender, but sadly succumbed again to injury before swinging a racquet in Brisbane.  However, her renowned ability to be super competitive after long periods off the court will see her as a top threat in Melbourne.

As too will be the fresh face and now proven top level player Garbine Muguruza, provided her injury can be overcome in time.  Her power game is being refined all the time and with it comes increasing danger for prospective opponents.

For me, though, apart from Petra Kvitova whose illness may prevent her from asserting herself to full potential, it is Vika Azarenka that provides the exciting prospect this year at the Aus Open.

Not ranked as high as she would be but for injury and form problems over the past 12 months, Vika has hit Australia in a patch of form perfect for a two time winner of the down under GS.

She breezed through Brisbane, thrashing Angelique Kerber in the final, and her confidence is there for everyone to see and hear.

The draw is important, but Vika fears no one, including Serena - she has been very competitive against the world's best player previously so my predictions, coming after the draw, will surely see the Azarenka name prominent.

Fed Cup continues its exciting regrowth

Over the past decade, men's tennis has thankfully redirected its efforts into making the Davis Cup a pillar of the tennis season, and bringing at times the team aspect to a spectacularly individual sport.

Awarding ATP points has persuaded many of the top players to arm themselves with racquets for their nations and a different attitude to the matches is observed both on the court and in the crowd.

The perennial 'poor relation' to the Davis Cup has been the women's version - Federation Cup. For all the same reasons that women's individual tennis is given unfair second rate coverage, the team event has suffered accordingly.  Of course the format has much to do with that - playing all the singles first, and leaving the doubles rubber as the final, often deciding match in the tie is bewildering to me.  Singles is the money spinner with the finest players, and should always be the final match as in the Davis Cup.  However, that is another story.

Despite my (admittedly minor) concern over the format, the Fed Cup has enjoyed a renaissance in the past 5 years due to fierce competition at extremely high levels, and a rivalry between Russia and the Czech Republic which has drawn some of the world's very best exponents of the sport.

Yes, the finals may not have featured the best player, although Serena has appeared in earlier rounds against women and nations which she would never expect to compete on the regular tour (good for tennis), but to see Petra Kvitova (for example) dominate in the Fed Cup over the years no matter how her form may have been in any recent tournaments is proof of the value of this event.

The 2015 final was hosted by the Czech Republic and Russia was the other finalist.  Petra Kvitova and Maria Sharapova were the number one players for the respective nations, while the strengths of the teams was indicated by the opponents on day one - Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova from Russia and Karolina Pliskova from the Czech Republic.

Petra won but only after dropping the first set, while Maria made it 1-1 to finish day one.

The second day featured the top drawer match of Kvitova v Sharapova, the result expected to virtually decide the Cup.

Kvitova won the first set despite a rocky start, and had chances in the second set to win the match, but a typical Sharapova fighting performance took the match to a third set and in Fed Cup fashion, against a fanatical Czech crowd, the Russian champion won her second match of the tie to give her nation a 2-1 lead.

It was then the turn of home country heroine Karolina Pliskova to dig deep into her resolve and hand Pavlyuchenkova her second defeat - the tie was 2-2 and the doubles match would decide the Fed Cup.

Pliskova and Pavlyuchenkova backed up again with partners Barbora Strycova and Elena Vesnina respectively. A roller coaster first set saw the Czech pair up initially but then succumb to the Russians, especially thanks to a hot run from Vesnina.

As was the pattern for the whole tie however, the momentum changed and Pliskova and Strycova held firm, taking the second set and then rolling over the top of any resistance to win the match and the fourth Fed Cup in five years for the Czech Republic.

This was compelling viewing on television - one can only imagine the spectacle live in Prague.

Women's tennis is vastly underrated as an individual sport to watch - Federation Cup proves that women's team tennis provides something extra special.