The Australian Open makes it impossible to predict the champion: there have been eight in the last ten editions

The hegemony built in Melbourne by Big 3 male, above all Novak Djokoviccontrasts with the recent history of the WTA in Australian Open. For several years now, women’s tennis has been reserved for great surprises and in the last ten editions of the “great” oceanic tournament, in which Nole won six times, In the women’s draw there were eight different champions. And only two have managed to lift the trophy on more than one occasion.

Serena Williams was crowned in 2015 and 2017 and Naomi Osakain 2019 and 2021. The other winners were Li Na (2014), Angelique Kerber (2016), Caroline Wozniacki (2018). Sofia Kenin (2020), Ashleigh Barty (2022) e Aryna Sabalenka (2023).

This fact, added to the reality of a very balanced circuit in which it is difficult to remain (with some exceptions), makes it very difficult to predict who will end up winning the coveted cup on this occasion. Daphne Akhurst Memorial. And it also generated a curious statistic.

This will be the third consecutive season with a meeting of Grand Slam champions in the first round of the tournament. In 2022 it was the English Emma Raducanu and the American Sloane Stephenswinners of US Open in 2021 and 2017 respectively. Last year Kenin and Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, two-time champion in Melbourne (2012 and 2013). And in this 2024 they will be the same Kenin e Iga Swiatekholder of three titles Roland Garros (2020, 2022 and 2023) and one of US Open (2022).

The Pole, number one in the world, will start as a big favourite, even if she won’t have an easy draw, given that if she progresses to the round of 16 she will meet the American Daniel Collinsfinalist in this competition in 2022, or Kerber, another former champion who will play her first “big” since becoming a mother in February last year.

Swiatek, who closed out 2023 with a party in WTA Finals in Cancun, I started this season with everything. He is unbeaten, having won the five matches he played in United Cup and arrives motivated in Melbourne. Even though he knows that anything can happen there.

Her great rival will be Sabalenka, reigning champion and number two in the world, who wants to repeat her enormous 2023 campaign this season, in which she made a leap in quality, momentarily stole number one from the Pole and achieved, at least, the semi-final finish of the four Slams.

The Belarusian will have a more accessible path, at least in the first rounds. He will debut against a rival in the qualifications and will meet the Romanian in the round of 16 Ana Bogdan (66th) or another player emerging from the previous phase.

Kazakh Elena Rybakina, third in the standings, will be the third in contention for the title of the Australian competition. Sample inside Wimbledon 2022 and finalist in Melbourne last year, will place first against the Czech Karolina Pliskovawho once led the league but never managed to win a Major.

Behind that trio appear other names who, with more or less possibilities, will try to exploit the curious recent history of the tournament and surprise the favourites. For example, Americans appear in this group Coco Gauff, current champion of the “greats” of his country; his compatriot Jessica Pegulla; and Tunisian Hon JabeurWimbledon finalist last year.

Australia 2024 will also mark the return to Melbourne of several tennis players who became mothers last year, such as Osaka, Kerber and Wozniacki.

They will try to follow in the footsteps of the Ukrainian Elina Svitolinawho made an impressive return to the circuit last year after giving birth in 2022, with a semi-final at Wimbledon and quarter-finals at Roland Garros.

Meanwhile, Argentine tennis will be represented in the racket Nadia Podoroska63rd in the world, who will play her first tournament of the year in Melbourne, where she will make her debut against Slovenian Tamara Zidansek (99th).

The Rosary will come with doubts on the physical level. He withdrew from the first round match on Tuesday WTA Hobart against the German Tatjana Maria with a right shoulder injury. He had entered the painting as lucky loserafter falling in the last qualifying round.

And those who could not join her, but were close, were Giulia Riera. After her fantastic week in Brisbane, in which she beat Ekaterina Alexandrova (21st in the world) and reached the round of 16, she continued her great moment in Melbourne, but ended up missing out on the chance to play in the main draw of a GS for the first time in his career.

The 21-year-old from Pergamin, one of the country’s great promises, fell in the third round qually against the American Katie Volynets (103rd) by 3-6, 7-6 (4) and 7-5 in a dramatic match that lasted two hours and 46 minutes. Likewise, she closes a big tour in Australia and promises to give something to talk about in the future.