Australian Open 2012 Results: Top Men and Women Equipped to Win
The 2012 Australian Open tips off today in Melbourne, and look for the usual suspects to be in contention at this year's event.
On the men's side, only three players have won on the hard court Down Under since 2006, while the women's bracket has been dominated by a select few, including American superstar Serena Williams, who has won three out of the past five Aussie Opens.
Defending Australian Open champions Novak Djokovic and Kim Clijsters will look to defend their title in the next two weeks. So which top men and women are equipped to challenge for the first Grand Slam of 2012?
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Check it out.
Men's Bracket
Novak Djokovic
Djokovic has won the last two Slam events on the calendar and is currently ranked No. 1 in the world. His win Down Under last year no doubt makes him the guy to beat this time around. Also remember that Djokovic's first Slam title ever came at the Australian Open back in 2008. At age 24 Djokovic has the experience in this tournament and outright athleticism to dominate even the most worthy of opponents.
So Federer has not won a Slam in two years, in fact his last was at the 2010 Aussie Open. That's not enough reason to count out the legend. At age 30 Federer is on the tail end of his career, but if the bracket shakes out in his favor, his legs are still more than capable of getting him to the ball.
He's only 25 years old and he won this tournament back in 2009. Spaniard Rafael Nadal has been holding it down on clay the past two years, but that won't stop him from contending this January on the hard court.
Nadal has won four of the past seven Slam tournaments and at No. 2 in the world will be the favorite to upset Djokovic in the final if he can stay healthy throughout the event.
Women's Bracket
Kim Clijsters
Clijsters stole the show at last year's Aussie Open and at age 28 don't be surprised if she does the same in 2012. Clijsters' 38 match victories Down Under are the most she has at any Slam tournament.
She is ranked 12th in the world heading into the event and is flying relatively under the radar considering all of the continued hype surrounding No. 1-ranked Caroline Wozniacki.
Serena Williams
The American with the best shot at winning in Melbourne this month is Serena Williams. The 30-year-old Williams has won five of the last nine Aussie Opens on the women's side but hasn't won a Slam since Wimbledon in 2010.
After posting a goose egg in 2011, Williams will be inspired to prove herself this January, even if she doesn't love tennis anymore, and never has.
The 2008 Australian Open champ is just 24 years old and ranked fourth in the world going into the tournament. She's won there before and has the fresh young legs to do it again in 2012. Sharapova's drought has to end sometime and what better Slam event to bust the rust off than the Aussie Open?
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