$\"Novak$ \n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>

Getty Images<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n
Women\u2019s singles<\/strong><\/p>\n
LR:\u00a0<\/strong>I will always go with Iga Swiatek at the start of a tournament. She\u2019s undefeated so far in 2024, a 16-match win streak from the end of last year. She\u2019s coming into the season with a load of confidence. Then you see, Elena Rybakina trounce Aryna Sabalenka in the final of Brisbane International. There\u2019s a bunch of people I\u2019d throw in there, but if I had to pick one, I would always go with Iga.<\/p>\n
Sabalenka won it last year \u2013 she plays a really big game. Usually [the Australian Open courts] play like a fast-medium hard court. The balls can fly through the air quite quickly, especially if it\u2019s a night match, so then you throw in, Sabalenka, Rybakina, Jessica Pegula really enjoys these conditions.<\/p>
Dark horses<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Men\u2019s singles<\/strong><\/p>\n
LR: <\/strong>Jannik Sinner, Holger Rune, Daniil Medvedev, who\u2019s made the final here before, you\u2019ve got an Aussie, Alex de Minaur, who\u2019s just cracked the top 10 for the first time, so he\u2019s gonna have the fan support most definitely.<\/p>\n
This week I\u2019ve been really impressed by Alexander Zverev, played in the United Cup, played battle after battle out there, spent a ludicrous amount of hours on court. And Grigor Dimitrov, who just won the title in Brisbane.<\/p>\n
Women\u2019s singles<\/strong><\/p>\n
LR:\u00a0<\/strong>There\u2019s a few dark horses. Obviously Coco Gauff, not so much of a dark horse now that she\u2019s won a Slam but in Australia, she\u2019s struggled a little bit in the later stages compared to some of the other tournaments that she\u2019s played. There\u2019s there\u2019s maybe five or six I would throw in there. I\u2019d love to see the resurgence of the mums too \u2013 Angelique Kerber, Elina Svitolina, Naomi Osaka.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s really hard to know how your body is going to pull up after that long off the tour. Osaka seems to be looking really healthy, seems to be physically in great shape and feeling good about her game. But I think the stress of a Slam is different than a regular tournament because you\u2019ve got 128 players battling it out. It\u2019s very hard to know, but I think anyone with her ball striking ability is going to be just fine in the long run.<\/p>\n
$\"TENNIS-GBR-WIMBLEDON\"$ \n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>\n
Breakout stars to watch<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Men\u2019s singles<\/strong><\/p>\n
LR:\u00a0<\/strong>Well, not to put any pressure on him, but I would actually say Jack Draper. Given he\u2019s healthy, given he\u2019s had such a good off-season, I really predict huge things for him. He\u2019s got such a big game, he\u2019s such a good athlete.<\/p>\n
What has held him back in the past is just his body kind of breaking down rather than anything lacking in his game style. If he\u2019s able to stay healthy for a good chunk of the season, then I wouldn\u2019t be the only one to say that he\u2019s going to have a breakout year. I feel like there\u2019s videos going around of all the ATP players at the top and they kind of have to say: \u201cWho do you think is going to win their first title in 2024?\u201d and they all say Jack, so if it\u2019s the consensus among the locker room then it\u2019s a pretty confident pick.<\/p>\n
Women\u2019s singles<\/strong><\/p>\n
LR:\u00a0<\/strong>Mira Andreeva. She\u2019s 16, turns 17 this year. She\u2019s unbelievable. She is such a good mover out there for someone so young, she\u2019s a great hitter of the ball, she\u2019s really brave out there.<\/p>\n
For such a young player, she\u2019s got so much confidence in herself and her game, and really believes that she can beat the top players. If anyone\u2019s going to have a breakout year, it\u2019s going to be her.<\/p>\n
Every moment of the Australian Open<\/a> is available live and exclusive across Eurosport and discovery+ from 14th \u2013 28th January. Coverage is also available on all major TV platforms including Sky, Virgin Media, BT TV and Amazon Prime Video<\/em><\/p>\n
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