Tennis latest: Australian Open features strong field in 2011
The 2011 Australian Open will highlight one of the strongest fields in the championship’s history as all the world’s top hundred players from the men’s side and top ninety eight players from the women’s tour will take part in the
opening Grand Slam event of the season in Melbourne. The news regarding the participation of 198 players in total has been confirmed by the tournament’s organizers on Saturday.
World number one Rafael Nadal, who ended his career best season on the tour in 2010, is in quest for his fourth Grand Slam title in a row to compete a Rafa Slam. He has captured the last three major crowns on the tour at Wimbledon,
French Open as well as United States Open in New York. The Spaniard after winning his maiden crown in Flushing Meadows also registered his name as the youngest player in the open era to complete a career Grand Slam.
The Swiss tennis maestro, Roger Federer, on the other hand, will be looking to continue his form to defend his Australian Open crown he won in 2010 after getting the better of Andy Murray in the finals. Currently ranked number
two in the South African Airways ATP list, the Basel native is bidding for his fifth Melbourne title of his career.
The first entry lists have been released with Serena Williams and world number thirty seven Agnes Szavay both missing as a result of injury.
The top ranked Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark is in quest for her first Grand Slam crown in order to remain on top of the rankings.
According to the organizers, the 104 direct entries into the men’s draw include former United States Open winner Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentine and Dmitry Tursunov from Russia, who both have utilized their injury-protected
rankings. The women’s field, on the other hand, features 107 direct entries into the main draw.
“To have the top 104 players in the world in the men's main draw is incredible and shows the high esteem with which the Australian Open is held in world tennis. The women's field also has every available top player in the world.
The players vote with their feet and they are doing it again,” said the director of the competition Craig Tiley on Saturday.
The men’s field at the Australian Open will be completed by sixteen qualifiers and eight wildcards, whereas the women’s draw has twelve qualifiers and eight wildcard entrants to be added.
The season’s first major event, the Australian open will be held at Melbourne Park from January 17 to 30.
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