This week sees the tennis seasons start with a combined event in Brisbane, Australia. The ATP Tour event sees Andy Murray return to defend the title he won last year defeating Aleksandr Dolgopolov, who also returns this year. Milos Raonic won the title in Chennai last year in the opening week of the season but has chosen to play here this year and is the second seed. Crowd favourite, Lleyton Hewitt, will be hoping he can start the year in style with a title in front of his home fans. In contrast to the men's draw, the women's draw is filled with the top players of the game. Victoria Azarenka and Serena Williams are the two favourites for the title but they will face stiff competition from players such as Angelique Kerber and Daniela Hantuchova. So who will be victorious come the weekend?
In the men's event Andy Murray has to be considered the favourite and rightly so. He is the best player in the draw and the draw has been favourable to him. Gilles Simon, Jurgen Melzer and Marcos Baghdatis have been drawn on the other side of the draw and that certainly helps Murray. Lleyton Hewitt would relish a crack at Murray in round three but I don't think he would have it in him to beat Murray, his game just doesn't suit. Kei Nishikori has a tricky tie against a resurgent Tommy Robredo but he will fancy his chances of making a semi final ahead of Dolgopolov. Nishikori is more than capable of beating Murray but again I think Murray will be too strong. The biggest threat this week could come from Milos Raonic. He would potentially have to beat Grigor Dimitrov, Melzer and Simon en route to the final but he should be confident of getting those results on this surface. His serve is a major weapon and he will take some stopping.
Murray is 4/5 to regain his crown and when you look at the draw you would pick Murray nine times out of ten but having watched him against Janko Tipsarevic last week I don't think he's into his stride yet and I think there is a chance Raonic could get a third win over Murray. He beat him comprehensively in Barcelona last year and came through a tight three setter in the final of Tokyo. I think he could be the one to beat this week and at 4/1 is my tip for the week.
In the women's draw it's hard to look away from Azarenka and Williams. Williams is the favourite in almost every event she plays and this week is no different. She sits at 4/5 for the crown but I don't see her winning titles this early in the season. I think she could take time to settle into the tour again and it might be the Australian Open before she hits her stride. Azarenka is a massive 3/1 for the title and that is where my money lies this week. She might have to beat Williams along the way but I would think she has done more work in the off season than Williams and that could be the difference. Azarenka was sensational at the beginning of last season and I think she will be the one to beat for quiet some time. Vika will have a tough tie against the talented German Sabine Lisicki but I do think she will come through it. Sloane Stephens is a dangerous young American and she will relish the opportunity to beat Williams should they meet in the quarter finals. Young Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has already beating Petra Kvitova and she has a meeting with Angelique Kerber to look forward to now. That is a mouthwatering encounter and I think the winner will be in the final come the weekend.
I don't see anybody outside of Azarenka or Williams winning this week unless someone like a Kerber or a Pavlyuchenkova causes some big upsets. I don't see that happening though and the 3/1 offered on Azarenka is very generous in my opinion.
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