Notes from Down Under: Day 1 Preview

By Chris Oddo/ Sunday, January 12, 2014

Four-time and three-time defending Australian Open
champion Novak Djokovic will be in action on
Day 1 of the Australian Open, as well as 17-time Grand Slam
champion Serena Williams.

Other big names slated for first-round tilts are 4th-seeded Li
Na on the women’s side and 7th-seeded Tomas
Berdych and 8th-seeded Stan Wawrinka
on the men’s side.

Here’s a quick peek at five matches that we’ll be
watching:

Venus Williams vs. Ekaterina Makarova, 1st Match,
Margaret Court Arena

22nd-seeded Makarova has been to the Australian Open
quarterfinals in each of the last two years, and in 2012 she
took out Serena Williams in the fourth-round in what was
perhaps the biggest win of her career. While Makarova owns a
0-2 career record against Venus Williams, she is clearly a
threat in Melbourne based on her last two quarterfinal runs.

But Williams, a 2003 runner-up in Melbourne who also has five
quarterfinal finishes and a semifinal finish to her name, looks
to be in good form in 2014, as she reached the Auckland final
earlier this month, falling in three tight sets to Ana
Ivanovic.

Novak Djokovic vs. Lukas Lacko, 1st Match, Night
Session, Rod Laver Arena

Djokovic will begin his bid to become the first Open Era player
to win five Australian Open titles on Monday night when he
takes on the talented but unheralded Lacko in the tournament’s
first night session. Lacko owns a 0-14 record against the ATP’s
top ten, and the pair have never faced one another.

Serena Williams vs. Ashleigh Barty, 2nd Match, Night
Session, Rod Laver Arena

It was a rough draw for two of Australia’s most promising
players, as Bernard Tomic drew Rafael Nadal in round one and
then 17-year-old Barty drew Serena Williams. Barty, to her
credit, is excited about the opportunity. “Not every week to
you get to go out and play against one of the greatest
champions of all time,” she said. “I’m really excited for the
challenge.” Williams, meanwhile, will look to move past
Margaret Court in Australian Open all-time wins as she makes
her bid for an 18th career Grand Slam title. Williams trails
Court by just two wins, with a career record of 58-8 with five
titles in Melbourne.

Juan Monaco vs. Ernests Gulbis, 2nd Match, Court
6

Gulbis, who skipped Australia last year, is the seeded player,
but Monaco owns a 3-1 record against the Latvian. Either way,
these are two players who have earned a cult following among
the tennis faithful—Monaco for his pulsating ground game and
passionate tennis; Gulbis for his over-the-top antics and
jaw-dropping shotmaking potential. Should be a good one no
matter who wins.

Samantha Stosur vs. Klara Zakopalova, Third Match, Rod
Laver Arena Day Session

Stosur will seek redemption after losing to Zakopalova in the
Hobart semifinals earlier this week. And speaking of
redemption, she’ll also try to prove to herself and to her
legions of fans that she can overcome her nerves to finally
reach the last eight of her home Slam. Stosur has been a
perennial underachiever in Melbourne, but a big win over
Zakopalova could be the spark that sets a deep run in motion.