Who Can Take Advantage Of Floundering Williams?

A number of bookmakers have four time Australian Open champion Serena Williams as the 5/2 favourite to grab her fifth title when the tournament starts next Monday, she will though face strong opposition from second favourite Maria Sharapova and third seed Simona Halep, both of whom have secured a WTA title already this year.

Her favouritism is in spite of the world number one`s poor performance in the Hopman Cup last week, the Michigan born star winning just two of four singles matches.

Indeed, not even her victories seemed convincing. The 33-year-old lost her first set of the tournament 6-0 to Italy`s Flavia Pennetta and had to order an espresso during a break in play to pep herself up. This unconventional tactic appeared to work as she came from behind to defeat her opponent 6-3, 6-0 in the remaining two sets.

Williams could only manage to win two games as she fell to a 6-1, 6-1 defeat at the hands of Canadian Eugenie Bouchard in her next match, Bouchard a 16/1 chance for Australian Open success, before also folding 6-4, 6-7, 6-1 to world number six Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in a more competitive match-up.

Twenty-seven-year-old Lucie Safarova also took Williams to a third set after getting the better of her in the second phase tie-break. The experience of her opponent won out, though, and Williams recorded a 6-3, 6-7, 6-1 victory.

As a result, it looks as though Williams is there for the taking, with a number of players ready to follow in the footsteps of last year`s winner Li Na, who has since retired.

Maria Sharapova`s preparations couldn`t have gone much better as the Russian ruled supreme in her first competition of 2015. The 2008 Australian Open victor took home the Brisbane Open title after coming back from a set down to defeat Serbian Anna Ivanovic 6-7, 6-3, 6-3.

This was the first time that week that the 27-year-old had been taken to a third set after swift victories against the likes of Yaroslava Shvedova (6-0, 6-1), Carla Suarez Navarro (6-1, 6-3) and Elina Svitolina (6-1, 6-3).

Sharapova will be looking to build upon last year`s fourth round exit and take home her sixth Grand Slam. She can be backed at 11/2 with a crop of bookmakers.

Simona Halep is looking for her first Grand Slam but made a great start to her season by winning the Shenzhen Open in China. Though her participation down under has been thrown into doubt by an upset stomach she picked up when in the East, the Romanian is sure to make a big impression should she be ready to play next week.

The 22-year-old made tough sledding of her opening encounter in which she was made to fight back from dropping the first set to defeat German Annika Beck 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Halep continued to improve, however, and brushed off her later opponents in two sets. The tournament culminated in her final against eighth seed Timea Bacsinszky, who had previously seen off Petra Kvitova. Light work was made of the Swiss player, however, with a 6-2, 6-2 score being recorded in just over an hour.

Of the remainder, Victoria Azarenka will be hoping to win her third Australian Open title following her iron grip over the competition from 2012 to 2013. She`s 13/1 with 32red, 888sport and unibet.

Having already got the beating of world number one Williams this year, there looks to be value in Radwanska who is a 25/1 (Numerous) shot whilst last year`s runner-up Dominika Cibulrova is an 80/1 outsider to go one better this time around.

The tournament draw takes place on Friday 16th January with play to begin on Monday 19th.

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13/01/2015     © Frixo 2026