Roger Federer and Vera Zvonareva will be the second seeds.
The 2011 Australian Open is just one month away and it will be played between January 17th and January 30th, 2011. The tournament will come from Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia and it will be the first significant tournament of the 2011 calendar year.
Last year the men's singles final saw Roger Federer defeat Andy Murray in straight sets while the women's final saw Serena Williams defeat Justine Henin in three sets. In the case of Federer, he will be the second seed in this year's draw behind Rafael Nadal, the champion from 2009.
In the case of Williams, she will miss this year's tournament as the distinguished American continues to have foot injury problems associated with a night club accident in Germany, post-Wimbledon 2010. That foot injury has cost her the top ranking and her failure to defend any portion of the 2000 ranking points she earned last season will likely see her tumble out of the top 10.
Due to Williams' absence, you have to wonder if the 2011 Australian Open tournament will feature a first time champion in the women's draw. The top seeds Caroline Wozniacki, Vera Zvonareva, and Kim Clijsters have never won the Aussie before and most will be calling on one of these players to take the title down with Clijsters a favorite with many due to her back to back US Open titles.
The Belgian did suffer a shock loss in the third round last season to Nadia Petrova and there should be a feeling that the women's title is up for grabs this year. Perhaps Venus Williams can capture the Aussie title, one that has eluded her in her distinguished career. Perhaps Maria Sharapova can win another Slam in Melbourne after faltering in the first round last year or perhaps Justine Henin will hit her form and run the tables.
Zvonerava is playing the best tennis of her career at this point and she would do well to take a Slam down having lost in the Wimbledon final and the US Open final in 2010.
Many think it's just a matter of time before Wozniacki starts taking Slams down and maybe 2011 will be her coming out year in the majors as she was just a little disappointing in the Slams in 2010.
Popular opinion is much less diverse on the men's side. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are expected to meet in the final while Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic are afterthoughts but players that can't be ruled out as possible champions. After that there's basically no one whose given much of a chance to win the Grand Slam although a healthy Juan Martin Del Potro cannot be ignored.
It's one month and counting now and tennis fans will certainly be watching to see who hits form in the minor events that precede the 2011 Australian Open in January.
