The Australian Open champion, Serena Williams, is to defend her Melbourne crown, despite concerns over her troublesome left knee. After struggling with the injury throughout a 6-3, 6-2 loss to Elena Dementieva in the Sydney International final on Friday, Williams said she is planning to play through the pain and will take part in the singles and the doubles in the opening grand slam of the season.
"The knee is much better," said Williams, who faces Poland's Urszula Radwanska, 19, in the first round on Tuesday. "It was good for me to get all those matches in and, if anything, it helped. I played a lot of back-to-back matches and I had a long three-set match. That was good preparation for me because I do plan on playing singles and doubles." Williams said the pain, which she described as "definitely not a ligament" issue, has not hindered her preparations and that getting some rest was the only motive in cancelling a practice session yesterday.
"I don't want to push it, go too far. I want to do the best I can obviously, but I also want to pace myself. Hopefully I can play seven singles rounds and six doubles rounds," she said. The Australian Open is the world No 1's first slam since last year's infamous episode at the US Open, when Williams's expletive-filled, finger-pointing tirade at a line judge during a semi-final loss to Kim Clijsters shook the women's game.
The incident cost Williams a record fine of US$82,500 (Dh303,000) and any outburst at a major tournament in the next two years will result in her being suspended from playing at future Flushing Meadows slams. Clijsters, meanwhile, admitted to feeling disorientated on her return to Melbourne Park. Despite the unfamiliar surroundings, Clijsters, who won last year's US Open after ending her self-imposed two-year exile from the game, is relishing being back to Australia.
"Obviously a lot of things have changed around the courts and everything - that took a few days to get used to," said the 15th seed. "It's just nice because I never thought I would be playing tennis here again." Considered one of the pre-tournament favourites, the Belgian will not, however, be able to avenge her 2004 final loss to compatriot Justine Henin, who also returned from retirement recently. The duo have been paired in the same half of the draw, the opposite section to Williams.
But revenge, according to Clijsters, is not on her mind; instead it is slams which are occupying the former world No 1's thoughts. "My schedule this year is far from being busy," she said. "I think I'll play about 15 or 16 tournaments; my focus is not really based on rankings as much as probably trying to really aim for the big tournaments. I really want to be able to peak at the right time." Unseeded Henin, the player everyone wanted to avoid in the first round, was drawn against countrywoman Kirsten Flipkens. If Henin progresses, fifth seed Dementieva is likely to lie in wait in the second round, while Clijsters is a possible quarter-final opponent.
A potential women's first-round highlight is the all-Russian encounter between the 14th seed, Maria Sharapova, and Maria Kirilenko. "We kind of grew up together playing junior tournaments," said Sharapova, the 2008 champion, who missed last year's tournament because of a shoulder injury. "We know each other's games really well but we haven't played each other in a long time." The 2006 men's Australian Open finalist, Marcos Baghdatis, of Cyprus, overcame the distraction of a lengthy rain interruption to beat France's Richard Gasquet 6-4, 7-6 in the men's final of the Sydney International yesterday. Baghdatis regained his composure after a lapse in concentration to claim his fourth ATP title.
emegson@thenational.ae The Australian Open will be carried on Abu Dhabi Al Riyadiya 2, starting at 3.30am tomorrow
