Australian Open 2012: Big-Name Women Who Won't Contend for a Win

The Australian Open's No. 1 seed Caroline Wozniacki will not contend for the championship.

The 21-year-old Dane has earned herself a number of No. 1 seeds in the past year but has yet to win a Grand Slam championship.

Today she was upset in three sets by Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland. Wozniacki had to her wrist taped in the final set and the injury will likely factor into her demise at Melbourne Park.

Even if she is to overcome that, her best finish at the Australian Open was the semi-finals last year.

She's not the only big name that won't contend for the title though.

Maria Sharapova, the No. 4 seed at Melbourne, hasn't won the Australian since 2008. She's certainly capable of turning it on at any time, but sustaining that momentum over an entire tournament is an issue.

Last year she was eliminated in the fourth round as a No. 14 seed.

She got hot last year after the Australian and wound up in the semi-finals of the French and finals at Wimbledon, but she missed out on  winning her fourth career Grand Slam last year.

Sharapova may turn it on again this year, but she'll need some time to warm it all up.

And one other big name star who loves it down at Melbourne Park is Serena Williams.

The American superstar has won the Grand Slam title five times in her career but couldn't defend her 2010 title last year due to injury.

She is again battling an injury but is expected to play as the No. 13 seed.

Williams is always dangerous - especially Down Under - and her 51-6 career mark is actually scary.

But this ankle injury is something that could really bother her. She was forced to withdraw at Brisbane and it remains to be seen how effective she'll be when the tournament gets underway. And, with matches coming more quickly in the Australian, there is worry that she could aggravate it quite easily.

Expect Williams to go hard, but it will ultimately force her to go home.