Australian Open 2012 Predictions: Why Serena Williams Will Win

Serena Williams hasn't much match preparation for this year's Australian Open, but you can never underestimate the heart and determination of a champion.

Williams will win the Australian Open this month and prove she is still a threat to win each Grand Slam singles title this season.

The desire to be the best is still something Williams feels, even after 14 Grand Slam singles titles.

"

"I get the same burst, if not more. I love playing majors and I love competing," Williams said.

"More than anything, I hate losing. That kind of makes me really hungry to work harder to get the results that I want."

"

Her most recent Grand Slam tournament did not end well, and included a heated argument with a chair umpire following her defeat in the US Open back in August.

The motivation athletes get from being knocked off their perch at the top of their sport is so great that it often catapults them back to the summit.

Williams hasn't won a Grand Slam singles title since Wimbledon in 2010, and she enters this month's Australian Open with the confidence of past successes in Melbourne.

Williams has won in Melbourne four times, and historically has played very well on hard surfaces. She last played in the Australian Open two years ago and won. She missed last year's tournament because of injury.

Williams comes to Australia without a ton of personal drama or controversy, which is a fantastic thing for her. She can focus on playing tennis and regaining her status as the best women's player on the planet.

With her previously injured ankle feeling well and with nothing to lose in Melbourne, Williams will climb back to the top of the tennis mountain and win her 15th Grand Slam singles title this month.