Australian Open Set for Its 99th Installment as 2011 Grand Slam Season Kicks Off
The first Grand Slam event of 2011 is the Australian Open and this will be the 99th edition of the storied tournament down under. Last year, it was Roger Federer and Serena Williams who hoisted the trophy, but this year we know the women’s side will have a new champion as Serena pulled out a few weeks back due to a nagging foot injury. Federer will try to win back to back titles but will have to fend off Rafael Nadal and the rest of the deep, men’s field.
It is an exciting time for men’s tennis as the rivalry between Roger and Rafa continues. At the draw ceremony on Friday, tennis legend Ivan Lendl commented on the state of the rivalry saying, "In the men’s game, we have had the pleasure of watching records which many people thought would never be broken. Now, Rafa is possibly going to win four in a row, and if he wins a few more majors, then we will start talking about him possibly passing Roger. It’s a fantastic time in men’s tennis."
This year, the women’s field is wide open as Serena Williams has pulled out. This means that the likes of Caroline Wozniacki, Venus Williams, Ana Ivanovic, Maria Sharapova and Justine Henin, all have a good chance of going deep in the tournament. Henin, last year’s runner up saw entry into the field as a wild card as she was returning from retirement. This year, she is seeded 11th and is a definite favorite to win it all.
Click here to view the Men’s and Women’s Draws for the 2011 Australian Open.
For more information, visit www.australianopen.com.
