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Defending champs Djokovic, Williams get top billing at Australian Open

January 14, 2016 13:00 IST

Serbia's Novak Djokovic hits a backhand volley during a practice session ahead of the 2016 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Thursday

IMAGE: Serbia's Novak Djokovic hits a backhand volley during a practice session ahead of the 2016 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Thursday. Photograph: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

Reigning champions Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams have been named top seeds for the Australian Open starting on Monday.

The draw for the first Grand Slam of the year will be held on Friday.

Five-time champion Djokovic and Williams, who claimed her sixth Australian Open title in 2015, will attend Friday’s draw ceremony in Melbourne.

Of the ATP World Tour’s top 32, World No 9 Richard Gasquet is set to miss the tournament with a back injury and his absence means USA’s John Isner moves into the top 10 in the player seedings.

Among home favourites are Australia’s Bernard Tomic who has secured a top-20 seeding at a Grand Slam for the first time. The 23-year-old is seeded No.16 after reaching a career-high ranking of No.17 following his run to the semi-finals at the Brisbane International.

His compatriot Nick Kyrgios gets the No.29 seeding in the men’s draw, while in the women’s draw two-time former Grand Slam champion Samantha Stosur is the No.25 seed.

Former champions Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka and Rafael Nadal are seeded No.3, No.4 and No.5 respectively, and four-time finalist, Andy Murray is the No.2 seed.

Among the women, 2008 champion Maria Sharapova is the seeded 5th, while the retirement of current US Open champion, Flavia Pennetta and the absence of world No.9 Lucie Safarova, means Karolina Pliskova and Carla Suarez Navarro get promoted among the top 10 seeds.

Full list of Australian Open 2016 seeds

MEN

1. Novak Djokovic (SRB)

2. Andy Murray (GBR)

3. Roger Federer (SUI)

4. Stan Wawrinka (SUI)

5. Rafael Nadal (ESP)

6. Tomas Berdych (CZE)

7. Kei Nishikori (JPN)

8. David Ferrer (ESP)

9. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)

10. John Isner (USA)

11. Kevin Anderson (RSA)

12. Marin Cilic (CRO)

13. Milos Raonic (CAN)

14. Gilles Simon (FRA)

15. David Goffin (BEL)

16. Bernard Tomic (AUS)

17. Benoit Paire (FRA)

18. Feliciano Lopez (ESP)

19. Dominic Thiem (AUT)

20. Fabio Fognini (ITA)

21. Viktor Troicki (SRB)

22. Ivo Karlovic (CRO)

23. Gael Monfils (FRA)

24. Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP)

25. Jack Sock (USA)

26. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP)

27. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL)

28. Andreas Seppi (ITA)

29. Nick Kyrgios (AUS)

30. Jeremy Chardy (FRA)

31. Steve Johnson (USA)

32. Joao Sousa (POR)

WOMEN

1. Serena Williams (USA)

2. Simona Halep (ROU)

3. Garbine Muguruza (ESP)

4. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)

5. Maria Sharapova (RUS)

6. Petra Kvitova

7. Angelique Kerber (GER)

8. Venus Williams (USA)

9. Karolina Pliskova (CZE)

10. Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP)

11. Timea Bacsinszky (SUI)

12. Belinda Bencic (SUI)

13. Roberta Vinci (ITA)

14. Victoria Azarenka (BLR)

15. Madison Keys (USA)

16. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)

17. Sara Errani (ITA)

18. Elina Svitolina (UKR)

19. Jelena Jankovic (SRB)

20. Ana Ivanovic (SRB)

21. Ekaterina Makarova (RUS)

22. Andrea Petkovic (GER)

23. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)

24. Sloane Stephens (USA)

25. Samantha Stosur (AUS)

26. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)

27. Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (SVK)

28. Kristina Mladenovic (FRA)

29. Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU)

30. Sabine Lisicki (GER)

31. Lesia Tsurenko (UKR)

32. Caroline Garcia (FRA)