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Australian Open 2018
Players to Watch
Not all of the tennis stars who were expected to return from long absences will be in Melbourne when the Australian Open begins on Monday. Who can take advantage and make a run?
Elina Svitolina
A 23-year-old Ukrainian, Svitolina worked on improving her strength and endurance in the brief off-season. She opened the 2018 campaign with a convincing run through the field in Brisbane, Australia, dropping just one set (to Johanna Konta) on the way to the title. Known for consistency rather than raw power, Svitolina hit more freely on her forehand, using it as a weapon to complement her superb two-handed backhand. She dominated the crafty Carla Suárez Navarro in the first round, playing first-strike tennis and controlling court position. Ranked fourth, Svitolina could break through in Melbourne and win her first Grand Slam title.
Julia Görges
Görges, 29, of Germany, upset the world No. 2, Caroline Wozniacki, in the Auckland final this month. With the victory, she climbed to No. 12 in the world. At 5 feet 11 inches, Görges uses her powerful serve and flat forehand to play aggressive, opportunistic tennis. An accomplished doubles player, she often comes forward to play swinging volleys as she attacks the net. Against Wozniacki, she gave a clinic in how to play a superb counterpuncher, dictating play with big serves and attacking Wozniacki’s weakest shot, her second serve. After weathering several difficult years on tour, Görges has the experience and composure to handle the big moments in a match. She is playing the best tennis of her career, and although she is not likely to win the title in Melbourne, she is capable of making a deep run.
Belinda Bencic
After vaulting into the top 10 at age 18 in 2015, Bencic succumbed to a series of injuries, including a left wrist problem that required surgery last spring. When she returned to the tour, she decided to forgo a protected ranking and wild-card entries into the top tournaments. Instead, she played her way into form by entering smaller events to gain more match play. The gamble paid off, as Bencic climbed back into the top 75 by winning her last 15 matches of 2017. Alongside her countryman Roger Federer, she helped Switzerland win the Hopman Cup in Perth, Australia, this month. Like Martina Hingis, Bencic takes the ball early and redirects it with astonishing accuracy and control. She hits flat, penetrating groundstrokes, and her signature shot is her backhand down the line. Unseeded, Bencic has a marquee first-round match against the fifth-seeded Venus Williams. If Bencic survives, she could make a deep run.
David Goffin
Goffin, 27, finished the 2017 season playing sublime tennis. He beat Dominic Thiem in the ATP Finals in London, then stunned Roger Federer in the semifinals with pinpoint serving and powerful groundstrokes, a departure from his high-shot-tolerance, counterpunching style. Goffin lost to Grigor Dimitrov in three sets in the championship match, looking fatigued in the last few games. He recovered to lead Belgium to a near upset against France in the Davis Cup final. Goffin outclassed both Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Lucas Pouille in singles, again playing a more aggressive brand of tennis. Heading into the Australian Open, Goffin is capable of grinding out long backcourt points, but he has shown that he can win quick points with his improved first serve and willingness to attack. His improved offense makes him a legitimate dark horse for the title.
Andrey Rublev
Rublev, 20, a Moscow native, surprised the tennis world with his run to the United States Open quarterfinals in 2017. His slight build and boyish looks belie the blistering power he generates, particularly with his forehand, one of the best in the men’s game. At 6 feet 2 inches, Rublev has a commanding serve, which sets up his forehand, giving him a lethal 1-2 punch to start off nearly every point. He began this year by reaching the final of the Qatar Open, where he fell to Gaël Monfils in a lopsided match. Although Rublev needs to be stronger and to improve his ability to come forward and finish at the net, he is clearly capable of winning a Grand Slam event.
Alex De Minaur
De Minaur, 18, an Australian, has played scintillating tennis in the tournaments leading up to his country’s Open. As a wild-card entry in Brisbane, he beat Steve Johnson, Milos Raonic and Michael Mmoh before losing a spirited three-setter to Ryan Harrison. In Sydney, also as a wild card, De Minaur scored wins over Fernando Verdasco, Damir Dzumhur, Feliciano López and Benoît Paire before falling to Daniil Medvedev in the final. De Minaur lives in Alicante, Spain, where he is coached by Adolfo Gutierrez. During the Australian summer circuit, however, he is being mentored by the Davis Cup captain, Lleyton Hewitt, the last Australian man to win a Grand Slam singles title. The 5-foot-11 De Minaur will face the powerful Czech veteran Tomas Berdych in the first round of the Open, and with his outstanding play thus far in 2018, he is capable of pulling off another upset.
Geoff Macdonald is the women’s tennis coach at Vanderbilt University.
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