Australian Open 2015 Draw: Date, Live Stream Info and More
Play at the 2015 Australian Open begins on Monday, Jan. 19, but we'll see the draws for both the men's and women's bracket on Friday, Jan. 16. The draw offers us our first glimpse into potentially epic matches that could wind up being the newest classics from the Land Down Under.
Last year's draw was live streamed on the Australian Open TV YouTube channel. It's expected to be shown there again, but that is unconfirmed at this time. Tennis great Boris Becker was on hand for the 2014 show.
The stream had over 57,000 views, so there would seem to be a good deal of interest. Here's a look at the 2014 stream for those who would like to know what to expect.
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Marin Cilic Is Out
Per his Facebook page, Marin Cilic, the reigning U.S. Open champion, announced he would not be competing in the 2015 Australian Open due to a shoulder injury.
Cilic wrote:
"Right shoulder injury, that hampers me for some time now and forced me to withdraw from the ATP event in Brisbane, is improving day by day, but I still don't feel fit enough to be able to compete at the highest level.
I am really sad that I won't be able to participate in Melbourne, especially after winning the last Grand Slam in New York, but I was advised by doctors to be careful as much as possible to avoid even more serious problems.
"
As an emerging force on the men's tennis scene, Cilic's absence opens the door for perhaps a breakout performance from another up-and-coming player or a long-standing contender. It'll be interesting to see how his absence affects the men's draw.
Expectations for Top Seeds
Novak Djokovic
We'll learn who the top seeds are on both sides of the draw on Friday, but it seems safe to assume that world No. 1 and four-time Aussie Open champion Djokovic will be the man atop the men's bracket.
Djokovic won the tournament from 2011-2013 before having his streak snapped by eventual champion Stanislas Wawrinka in the quarterfinals in 2014.
After finishing the 2014 season strong and winning Wimbledon, Djokovic was able to secure the world No. 1 ranking at year's end. That and his past success in Melbourne should be enough to secure the top seed.
It's been five years since Williams won the Australian Open. That's her longest drought in Grand Slam events. She's still the No. 1-ranked woman in the world, but the gap has been closed a bit by rival Maria Sharapova.
Williams hasn't looked strong in recent outings. Specifically, she lost two of four matches at the Hopman Cup the week of January 4, and there's a question as to whether she'll be dominant at the Aussie Open.
In a tuneup for Melbourne, Sharapova won the Brisbane International on Saturday and moved within 681 points of Williams for the top spot. It shouldn't be enough to move Williams off her post as top seed, but the closeness of the two in the rankings will make for a great story during the tournament.
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