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Potential winners Kafelnikov, Venus Williams top the Australian Open list
Sports Illustrated senior writer Jon Wertheim spoke with CNNSI.com about the upcoming Australian Open. CNNSI.com: It seems like the 2000 tennis season just ended, but the Australian Open, the first of the four Grand Slams, kicks off Monday. How will the top seeds fare? Jon Wertheim: Well, the top seeds are Gustavo Kuerten and Martina Hingis, but I wouldn't bet the farm on either of them. Kuerten played brilliantly at the end of last year, but he has never gotten past the second round in Australia. For reasons unknown, he decided to pass up playing a tune-up tournament. So I wouldn't be surprised if his game is coated in rust when he comes to Melbourne. As for Martina Hingis, she's still No. 1 in the world, but she hasn't won a Grand Slam in two years. The faster the courts play, the more trouble she'll have against bigger, stronger opponents like Venus and Serena Williams and Lindsay Davenport, the defending women's champ.
CNNSI.com: What about the defending men's champ Andre Agassi? Wertheim: After winning in Australia last year, Agassi struggled with injuries and some off-court distractions and was never the same player. In the off-season, he worked out intensely in Florida with Andy Roddick, the young American whom Agassi seems to have taken under his wing. Agassi's trainer, Gil Reyes, says Andre is excellent condition, so it will be interesting to see if he can make another of his famous comebacks. CNNSI.com: Any women to keep an eye on? Wertheim: I'm intrigued by Mary Pierce. Last spring when she was healthy, she played the best tennis of her life, winning the French Open. Then she suffered an injury to her right shoulder. Instead of undergoing surgery, she rested and played sparingly, competing in only two events the whole second half of the year. If her shoulder is healed, she could do some damage in Australia, a tournament she's won before, in 1995. CNNSI.com: So who are you picking? Jon Wertheim: It's hard to bet against Venus Williams, who dominated the second half of the season last year. Now that she has a $40 million deal with Reebok, there's extra incentive for her to play well. On the men's side, Marat Safin was tremendous in winning the U.S. Open and would ordinarily do well on the fast surface. But he's having trouble with his elbow. Instead, I'll take another Russian, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, who is an uneven player, but has reached final in Melbourne two years running. Sports Illustrated senior writer Jon Wertheim covers tennis for the magazine and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.
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