Preview: Australian Open

City: Melbourne, Australia
Surface: Outdoor Hard
Championship Points: 2000
2009 Singles Champion: Rafael Nadal
2009 Doubles Champions: Mike Bryan and Bob Bryan

It is the first grand slam of the season. This particular tournament should be an interesting affair because there are many more players who can get passed Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal this year. Rafael Nadal defends his title this year, but any of the top six could take it.

From the end of last season until the present, Nikolay Davydenko looks like the one to beat. The Russian has won four Masters titles and 16 other titles in his career but has yet to convert at the grand slam. Some players do well all year but then come up empty-handed in the grand slams. Andy Murray fits into this category as well, but Davydenko is playing more solidly at this point in the year.

Federer and Nadal are the only two, until very recently, who can consistently win on the big stage. Federer’s dominance wanes. To his credit, the Swiss master prolonged it for two years. With Nadal, we will truly see what condition he is in. If he is in back to his dominant form, then this will greatly complicate things for the others.

With more able players, the draw is even for the first time in years. No one will waltz into the semis or the final this year. It will definitely be on from the quarterfinals onward. Whoever wins this title is going to have to a long slog ahead of him. This is bad news for whomever, but good news for us.

Tournament Draw
Singles / Doubles

Tournament Evils
16 Tommy Robredo (ESP) vs. Santiago Giraldo (COL)
20 Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) vs. Richard Gasquet (FRA)
Feliciano Lopez (ESP) vs. Pablo Cuevas (URU)
Viktor Troicki (SRB) vs. Nicolas Lapentti (ECU)

(Image: Getty Images)