Australian Open 2013 - Draw Hopes

Sharapova on the stretch twelve months ago

Australian Open 2013 - Draw Hopes

Tomorrow we will have our first Grand Slam main draws of 2013.  Here is my wishlist.

WHERE IS MY MURRAY?

Possibly the biggest question on everyone's lips will be wondering if US Open Champ Andy Murray will be in Novak Djokovic's half of the draw or Roger Federer's.  

Being a fan of the Great Swiss player I am hoping Murray and Djokovic can battle it out in the top half of the draw.

ROGER'S QUARTER

Of the players seeded 5-8 I would prefer Federer drew Tipsarevic or Tsonga unsurprisingly but would not mind a US Open revenge match against Berdych who he has twice beaten in Australia. 

Del Potro would be my least favoured but the big Argentinean has not beaten Roger over five sets since the 2009 US Open final so I don't think that his two three set victories against Federer to close 2012 would give him an advantage.

KIMIKO AND MIRJANA

My comeback girls deserve kind first round draws and are not too close to any of the big guns. Kimiko Date Krumm finished 2012 very well and has begun the new year by qualifying at Shenzhen and Sydney beating Casey Dellacqua in the latter before giving Agnieszka Radwanska a run for her money. 

Please tennis Gods give the Mother of the WTA a wildcard or lowly ranked clay court specialist in round one.

At Wimbledon last year Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (then just Lucic) showed that her huge groundstrokes and determination can still make an impression on the game's biggest stage. (I will write more of that soon.) 

So I have my fingers crossed that the Croatian will be handed a favourable round one draw in Melbourne.

HEATHER AND LAURA (and any British qualifers)

Last year Heather Watson was unfortunate to meet eventual champ Victoria Azarenka in round one and faced Li Na at last year's US Open.  The British No.1 is deserving of a much kinder first match with a lower seed waiting who she can beat to reach the last 32.

Laura Robson did not need a nice draw at Flushing Meadows last year as she took down Kim Clijsters and Li Na before stretching reigning US Open winner Sam Stosur in the fourth round. 

Surely after that testing draw the lefty teenager is due a slightly easier ride, at least to the third round, before meeting one of the big hitters in Melbourne. 

If James Ward, Jamie Baker or Johanna Konta reach the main draw may they also have winnable first matches.

The Australian Open 2013 draw will be announced tomorrow with main draw play underway at midnight on Sunday UK time