The 2012 Fashion Scoop from DOWN UNDER

As always, the Australian Open marks the first big fashion event of the season, all manufacturers taking the opportunity to showcase their latest collections. This year, archrivals Adidas and Nike went head-to-head once more in search of fashion glory, with the German sportswear provider triumphing yet again, as Nike's outfits provided a big disappointment. While their clothes featured shades of purple, blue and neon green, Adidas proposed a fresher approach, opting for some vibrant colour combinations, the palette stretching from purple and red to peachy, orange and yellow.
Overall, even though there were some great pieces, none was truly memorable. Because of this, the extravaganza of Venus Williams and her EleVen creations was deeply missed, the only ones who could stir up the waters on her behalf, i.e. Serena and Sharapova, failing to do so.

The Stars

Victoria Azarenka - NIKE

The 2012 Australian Open definitely belonged to Azarenka, the young star emerging as the undisputed queen of the Melbourne courts. She won the title, became the new number 1 and ranked first in Tennis Moods' fashion list. The sporty Victoria, one of the few players to look hot in shorts, confirmed her fashion credentials, becoming the only Nike ambassador, alongside Roger Federer, to actually make an impression Down Under. Her consistently good fashion choices got her the 2011 'The Fashion of Her Love' award and the Belorussian has no plans of giving it up anytime soon.

Maria Kirilenko - AdiPure

Although she didn't match her ex-doubles partner's impressive achievements, Maria Kirilenko certainly lived up to her fashionista status with this red-purple AdiPure dress. She is probably the only player who would look great in anything, thus it was such a pity we couldn't admire more of this Russian beauty, Maria withdrawing hurt in her third round match against Czech Petra Kvitova.

Caroline Wozniacki - Adidas by Stella McCartney

Despite failing to hold on to her number 1 crown, Caroline Wozniacki impressed in another spectacular Adidas by Stella McCartney outfit. Even though it didn't match the swan inspired dress she wore last year, it attested McCarthy's huge creative power.

Sorana Cirstea - AdiZero

Ana Ivanovic - AdiZero

The AdiZero girls, Ana Ivanovic and Sorana Cirstea did their brand justice, advancing deep into the draw so that everyone could admire their youthful, fresh peachy-red dresses.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - AdiZero

One of the few players who can get away with wearing the powerful combination of orange and yellow, i.e. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, was the Clockwork Orange of the tournament. The batteries run out though in the last 16th, the Frenchman losing an epic to Japanese Kei Nishikori. 

Roger Federer - NIKE 'Roger Federer' Group

Roger Federer might have succumbed once more to his nemesis Rafael Nadal, but he put forward another display of class and style by wearing another stunning RF polo. The red suits him perfectly. so there were no wrongs this time for the Swiss Maestro.

Mike & Bob Bryan - K-Swiss

Gael Monfils - K-Swiss

There is always something really cool about K-Swiss attire. They just make interesting clothing, not being affraid to mix patterns or to use bold colors. Monfils, one of the brand's main ambassadors,  provided once again the colour splash of the Open. The Frenchman wore a vibrant neon yellow / blue tank top which he wisely toned down with a pair of white shorts.

The Dull, Boring & Uninspired

Fernando Verdasco - AdiZero

Fernando Verdasco confirmed that he is lacking any editing sense after managing to look like an orange-lemon sherbet in his AdiZero apparel. He should have taken Tsonga's example who, using clothes from the same collection, managed to look fresh, young and exuberant.

Maria Sharapova - NIKE 'Maria Sharapova' Group

Sharapova's comeback after a wrist injury received some well deserved applause after the Russian reached the final, but her mega boring white dress didn't. Usually a class act, Maria marked the biggest fashion disappointment of the tournament. There seems to be a negative karma for the Russian Down Under, as she never quite got it right in Australia, some of her most hideous looks coming while playing in Melbourne.

Rafael Nadal - NIKE

Nadal was an electrifying presence at Melbourne wearing a neon green tee style with blue accessories. Just like in Sharapova's case, the bold color combination was a bit too tiresome and the dark green patterns on his shoulder made the overall look heavier.

Serena Williams - NIKE

Following in the footsteps of her Nike peer, Serena Williams also struggled to find some Aussie glamour. Wearing a dull blue dress which failed to excite anyone's imagination, the American lost in the fourth round to unheralded Makarova, signalling her glory days might very well be behind her.

Bethanie Mattek-Sands - UnderArmour

Bethanie Mattek-Sands might have shown some Grand Slam stamina after winning the mixed-double trophy with Romanian Horia Tecau, but by remained faithful to her signature knee-high socks, heavy make-up and one-sleeved t-shirt, she continued to look her usual freak self.

photos: GETTY IMAGES

My Aussie Fairytale

They say that one should save the best for last and the 2012 Australian Open certainly did so. The women's final, besides providing one of the most entertaining matches in recent times, will go down in history as another successful tennis story. To finally see hard-working Azarenka achieve her potential and make her dreams come true was so emotional, so powerful, so meaningful, that few of my tennis memories can match this. And to actually have my old time favourite act as the Master of Ceremonies was the cherry on the cake. The moment when Victoria Azarenka received her first Grand Slam trophy from Martina Hingis reminded me why I love tennis so much. Thank you Victoria!

photo: GETTY IMAGES

FILA Assembles an A-Team

The beginning of 2012 saw a rejuvenation of the Italian manufacturer, Fila, which signed some very respected tennis ambassadors, thus strengthening its presence on the tennis courts. Armed with its newly acquired spokespersons, the Australian Open provided an excellent opportunity for the brand to increase its visibility, especially on the women's side. What I like about this company is the fact that it does not rely on big names only, their team of designers putting forward another collection which maintains the vintage playful vibe, while being cool, vibrant and fresh. The strategy proved successful and, although it cannot compete with giants Adidas or Nike, Fila is gaining ground on smaller sportswear rivals such as Sergio Tacchini, Asics, Lacoste or K-Swiss.
The recent rise of Italian providers is also emphasized by Lotto, which now relies on three prime female competitors, i.e. veteran Francesca Schiavone, Pole Agnieszka Radwanska and Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli, all ranked inside the top 15 players of the world.

Oldies but goldies

Kim Clijsters is by far the biggest name in Fila's portfolio. She has been the leading lady for more than a decade now, carrying the brand's name throughout most of her illustrious career. The collaboration was interrupted by the Belgian's two year hiatus, but she showed her loyalty, resuming the deal in 2009 with even more success. She reinforced her credentials once more in Melbourne, being their only representative still left in the competition.

Another member of the old squad is Australian Jelena Dokic. The former world number 5 has been a loyal Fila endorser throughout the years. After enduring months of trials and tribulations, she is also gathering momentum in her comeback after an encouraging 2010 season. Jelena's dress is, in my opinion, once of the greatest pieces of their 2012 collection.

Svetlana Kuznetsova is another Fila household name. Even though she is struggling with some poor performances lately, the two times Grand Slam champion remains a key figure in women's tennis. Style wise, the Russian is by far not the greatest asset, but in her case, her popularity and achievements are enough to generate the desired brand awareness.

The Latest Additions

Jelena Jankovic

Nadia Petrova

Vera Zvonareva

At the start of the new season, Fila made three important conquests, as they signed Russians Nadia Petrova and Vera Zvonareva, as well as Serbian Jelena Jankovic. Each member of the trio possesses a Grand Slam pedigree, having made at least the semifinals in such a tournament. While Petrova has been struggling to find a long-term sponsor for years and Jelena's collaboration with Chinese manufacturer Anta has led to a fashion disaster, Zvonareva has had a lot of success under K-Swiss. Although her switch can seem surprising, she managed to remain one of the best dressed players, keeping true to her trademark consecutive style.

Under construction!

Janko Tipsarevic

What is really lacking for Fila is having some strong men performers under their wing. Although Janko Tipsarevic has proved an excellent ambassador lately, cracking into the top 10 and getting a lot of publicity after becoming the front-face of Jesen’s Extreme Intimo underwear collection, he is still in a No Man's Land. Benefiting from strong legacy in men clothing (i.e. legendary names such as Borg, Becker or Vilas are amid past sponsored players), the company is probably keen on recapturing its position atop of the top men's apparel providers.

photos: GETTY IMAGES

Happy 1000th, Roger Federer!

Federer's career reached another milestone today, as the Swiss got to dispute his 1000th professional match. Tackling Argentinean Juan Martin del Potro in their quarterfinal date, Roger must have been under a lot of pressure going into this clash. Not only was he meeting one of the sharpest opponents on the tour, but considering all the frenzy generated by the occasion, the expectations were huge. A loss just wouldn't do justice to this amazing achievement, thus the former world number 1 was determined to prevent anyone from spoiling his celebration.

Carrying the kind of form that made him invincible since last year's US Open semifinal defeat to Djokovic, Federer never looked troubled by the powerful Argentinean. He eased through a straight sets victory to collect his 814th career win. The 6-4,6-3,6-2 triumph marked also a sweet revenge for his epic failure to del Potro in the 2009 Flushing Meadows final.

Even though he came to Melbourne under a cloud of doubts regarding his fitness, his level this week has been impressive. He looks to have shrugged off the back injury that forced him to retire in Doha, marching through the draw without dropping a set. After his last two stellar performances, i.e. against Tomic and, respectively, del Potro, Federer is signalling once more the seriousness of his quest for another Grand Slam title. He goes on to play archrival Rafael Nadal next and I am sure that the Swiss wouldn't be satisfied with anything less than to dismiss the Spaniard and book his place in Sunday's final.

On the eve of what would surely be an entertaining contest, let's take some time and congratulate Roger on his latest accomplishment. Cheers, Federer! To many more records to come! The 100th Tennis Moods post goes to you!

photo: GETTY IMAGES

Hewitt Turns Back Time

A force to be reckoned with until mid 2000s, Lleyton Hewitt's late career has been plagued by injuries. After he lost his reign to Swiss Roger Federer, the Australian has been struggling to keep up with the new generation, but had to settle with seeing Federer, Nadal, and later Djokovic, get their hands on all the big prizes. With a neverending list of injuries and a lack of form, Lleyton was forced to keep a low profile. Although he was fighting to get back to winning ways, his efforts were cut short everytime, as he constantly picked up new problems to deal with. Under these circumstances, he had to dramatically reduce his schedule, making appearances to only a handful of tournaments per season. Because of this he became a sporadic presence on the ATP tour and, soon, discussions about a possible retirement began to stir up.

He slammed the rumours at the start of this year by making another comeback attempt. Nevertheless, the beginning was not promising, as he failed to make an impression at either the Hopman Cup in Perth, where he teamed up with Jarmila Gajdosova, or in Sydney, where he lost in the inaugural round to Serbian Viktor Troicki. Therefore, at the inception of the Australian Open, the currently ranked 181 Aussie was not destined to go very far. His rustiness shown in the first round, were he dug deep to defeat German young hope Cedrik-Marcel Stebe, rearing off five consecutive games in the fourth set to seal the victory. In his next match, facing his old time rival Andy Roddick, Lleyton got extremely lucky when the American had to withdrawn while being down one set to two. Qualified for yet another third round showing in Melbourne, he went on to meet one of the hottest players in the draw, Canadian Milos Raonic, who was expected to book his place in the last 16th for the second year running. After a slow start which saw the 23rd favourite win the first act 6-4, the Australian managed to recapture some vintage form, neutralizing his opponent's biggest weapon, i.e. his serve. Deposed of his main asset, Milos' whole game crumbled. Lacking any obvious strength, Lleyton did what he does best. With a very efficient display he minimized the number of unforced errors, pressuring his opponent into going after the big shots. The move proved successful, as Milos missed, leaving a delighted nation witness their hero complete a sensational 4-6,6-3,7-6,6-3 triumph.

As impressive as his run might have been so far, the fairytale is assumed to end pretty soon. Hewitt will next tackle Novak Djokovic, a player to whom he lost the last four times they met.

photo: GETTY IMAGES

John Isner a.k.a. the Marathon Man

After his unforgettable performance at Wimbledon in 2010, when he prevailed in an 11 hours and 5 minute contest with Frenchman Nicolas Mahut to set a new record for the longest tennis match ever, American John Isner gave another testimony of his resistance while tackling Argentinean David Nalbandian in the second round at Melbourne. 

Although Isner was the higher ranked player, Nalbandian, a former Grand Slam finalist, is still one of the most dangerous opponents on the tour, thus odds looked pretty even prior to the clash. And they remained so for most of the match, as there was little separating the two after they split the first four sets. Even though Isner has built himself a legacy as a marathon man following his Wimbledon epic, Nalbandian is no stranger to going the extra mile. He showed incredible fighting spirit and determination many times in his career, coming out on top of some fierce five setters. He did so especially during his fairytale run to the Wimbledon final in 2002, but also more recently, at the last year's Australian Open, when he broke the hearts of the crowd by beating the Aussie darling Lleyton Hewitt.

The decisive moment of the battle came in the 17th game of the decider when the Argentinean benefited from several break points. Struggling to dismiss a third opportunity for Nalbandian, John cracked down one of his powerful aces. The serve was called out, but the French referee Kader Nouni over-ruled. What followed was one strange incident. Nalbandian hesitated, but then decided to challenge the call via hawk-eye. Nuoni objected, arguing that it took too long for him to make up his mind and decided that the call stands, sending the game back to deuce. An angry Argentinean blasted the empire for several minutes and his ourburst proved extremely costly in the end. Not only did he lost that game, but he was broke immediately after by a clearheaded Isner who sealed a sensational 4-6,6-3,2-6,7-6,10-8 victory after 4 hours and 41 minutes of play.
While David used the press-conference to express once more his indignation, Isner declared himself delighted with the triumph, praising particularly his serve: ""[The] only thing that was keeping me in [it] was my serve. From the back of the court [he] was just not missing much and playing aggressively and playing really well. I knew he was capable of that. I mean, I was hoping he wasn't going to pull it out today. I felt like he played well, but I just hung in there. Eventually it paid off." The American, who hit 43 aces and 88 winners during his last performance, goes on to face Spaniard Feliciano Lopez next.

photos: GETTY IMAGES

Sorana Pays Back Heavy Dues

When the women's draw was announced, one of the battles that immediately stood out was the clash between Romanian Sorana Cirstea and home hope Samantha Stosur. The two share some kind of a history, as they both rose to prominence at the same time, at the 2009 French Open when the Aussie prevailed in their quarterfinal match. While Sorana failed to make an impact since, struggling with injuries and poor form, Sam's career took off. An established top 10 figure now, she won the 2011 US Open crown and, as the number 6th seed, she started the encounter as the huge favourite. However, she has always struggled when playing at home. She has never made past the fourth round in Melbourne and, after early losses in Brisbane and Sydney, the Romanian was in with a chance of her own. Moreover, the latter started the season in much better fashion, holding two match points before succumbing to Germany's Angelique Kerber in the Hobart quarterfinals. The last few months saw a rejuvenated Cirstea working hard to re-ignite the spark that took her to number 23 in the rankings in August 2009. This match was about to be just another testimony of her recently found groove.

Procedures were tense from the very beginning, as both players were feeling the pressure. It was Stosur though who lost her composure, allowing her opponent to wrap up the first set tiebreaker 7-2. As the Australian continued her misery in coping with the huge expectations of a packed Rod Laver Arena, Sorana remained clearheaded. She found her shots and after breaking for a 5-3 second set advantage, she witnessed Samantha crumble once more under the immense burden that was put on her shoulders. The Aussie hit a looping forehand over the baseline and, at the third time of asking, the Romania sealed the victory 7-6,6-3. 

While joking that "probably the whole country hates me now" [sic], Cirstea was delighted with the win, especially as she got to pay some heavy due to her nemesis, who won their two previous meetings in straight sets, both coming in key moments in her career. While she goes on to face Polish Urszula Radwanska, Stosur was left speechless by her inability to perform well in front of the cheering crowd. In her press-conference she confessed her disappointment, saying that this was "certainly not the way that I wanted, not just this tournament, but the whole summer," to play out. "There's not any other word for it but a total disappointment."

photos: GETTY IMAGES

Cocky Tomic Delights Aussie Crowd

As soon as the 2012 Australian Open got underway, several blockbuster encounters provided tennis fans with some exhilarating spectacles. However, none quite matched the thrilling clash between Australia's shinning star Bernard Tomic and Spaniard Fernando Verdasco. 

After a breakthrough year in 2011, Tomic looked in pretty good shape at the start of the new season. He made the semifinals in Brisbane, i.e. where he lost to Andy Murray, and then went on to win the Koyoong exhibition with victories over Tomas Berdych, Gael Monfils and Mardy Fish. After such convincing results, Bernard, carrying the home nation's hopes of a great result, established himself as a potential outsider for the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup. Unfortunately though, a twist of faith made his campaign even more difficult after he was drawn to meet the 22nd seeded Verdasco on the inaugural Monday. The pressure of playing under a packed Rod Laver Arena took its toll on the young Aussie early on. He looked shaky, hesitant and passive, letting him opponent dictate the game. He lost the first set 6-4 and, after squandering three sets points to lose the second on a tiebreak, the odds seemed definitely against him. Out of nowhere, Tomic found his groove, breaking the Spaniard's resistance to level at two sets all. Benefiting from the change in momentum, he managed to close out the match 7-5 in the decider. What followed was a deep sigh of relief, as the outspoken Australian got himself out of the rabbit hole. Not only did he qualify for the next round, but he also lived up to the self induced expectation, following some pretty tough pre-match comments. In his press-conference, he sounded utterly assured of his chances, declaring that his rival "wasn't going to hurt him", as he "hasn't really done much" lately, hinting that now "it's a good time to play him". In the end though, his cocky prophecy came true and he is scheduled to go head-to-head with American Sam Querrey next.

Tomic, the youngest junior Aussie Open champion at the age of 15, is his country's main hope of another Grand Slam winner and the whole nation is yearning for a stellar performance from him. And the future looks bright for this young gun and his amazing comeback is a clear indication of just how tough, both mentally and physically he really is. After battling for over four hours in temperature of over 30 degrees, Tomic is keen on using this experience as yet another confidence booster. He reckons that "in the future, when I'm down, I can lift myself and give it a go, always."

photos: GETTY IMAGES

And The Beat Goes On For The Bryans

Being the main force in men's doubles for the past decade now, the Bryan brothers showed no intentions of losing their credentials as they started the 2012 season in imperious form by winning the Apia International in Sydney. 

The American top seeds were in cruise control throughout the week, triumphing without losing a set in four encounters. Although it wasn't quite a walk in the park though, when the going got tough, the unbeatable duo kept composure and managed to prevail. Their first 'victim' was the newly formed team of Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi and Jean-Julien Rojer, against whom they won 7-6,6-4. The stiffest test of the tournament came in the quarterfinals, when they needed two close tie-breaks to defeat Indian Leander Paes and Czech Radek Stepanek. Into the semifinals, the Bryans produced another sharp performance, showcasing once more their doubles brilliance while obtaining an easy 6-4,6-2 victory against the British tandem of Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchings. Having lost three of their four previous finals in Sydney, the 2011 runner-ups were up for a little vengeance and they set their intent straight right from the get-go. After building a commanding 5-0 first set advantage, the world number ones never looked behind, sailing to a 6-1,6-4 win over the first-time pairing of Australian Matthew Ebden and Finn Jarkko Nieminen. Nieminen was trying to complete the double, as he took the court a few hours after he defeated Frenchman Julien Benneteau for the singles trophy. However, his efforts were cut short, as he and his partner rarely looked in contention.

Having already established themselves as the best team in history with 76 career titles, a record in the Open Era, the Bryan twins are now settings their sights on successfully defending their Australian Open crown. In doing so, they will move ahead of Australians Woodforde and Woodbridge with whom they currently share the record for most Grand Slam trophies with 11 apiece.

photo: GETTY IMAGES

She is GOLDEN

With nine out of the top 10 players in the world entering the draw, the 2012 Apia International Open in Sydney benefited from one of its most illustrious line-ups ever. And with many focusing on the battle for the number 1 spot between current leader Caroline Wozniacki and Czech Petra Kvitova, the rest of the field was a bit overshadowed. This didn't seem to bother Azarenka whatsoever, as she remained clearheaded, focused and determined to get her season off to a perfect start.

She began the week in great fashion, being sharp and dismissive in the early rounds. After destroying Swiss qualifier Stefanie Vögele 6-1,6-2, she went on to dispatch Serbian Jelena Jankovic 6-4,6-2, securing her place in the last eight. In the quarterfinals she faced Marion Bartoli, a rather tricky opponent who, having won two of their last three encounters, could very well trouble her. And this showed early on, as the Frenchwoman built a 5-3 advantage. The Belorussian was not about to go down without a fight though. She geared up to her full capacity claiming the next four games and the set 7-5. The second was also a tight affair, but a more accurate display from the number three seed saw her prevail 6-4. At the stage of the tournament, Kvitova was nearing toward the top of the rankings, as Caroline saw her campaign hit a dead end after a three sets loss to best friend Agnieszka Radwanska. The Pole has been in a remarkable form lately and a place in the final was next thing on her mind. Bursting with confidence, Radwanska blew Azarenka away in the first set of their semifinal clash, winning it 6-1. The shock of losing to such a margin worked as a wake-up call for the Belorussian who immediately stepped up her game while marching towards a 1-6,6-3,6-2 victory. In the grand finale Vika faced Na Li. The Chinese trailblazer was her 2011 Grand Slam nemesis, beating her at the Australian Open, as well as at Roland Garros. However, this time around Azarenka was better prepared and, leaving aside a poor second set performance, she got the upper hand of Li, preventing her opponent from successfully defending her title. After a fierce, topsy-turvy 6-2,1-6,6-3 battle, she claimed her first title of 2012, ninth overall, strengthening her credentials for the new season. With Melbourne starting on Monday, Victoria will be looking forward to breaking the duck by collecting her first Grand Slam crown.

photos: GETTY IMAGES

Bulletproof Raonic Wins in Chennai

After a storming 2011, Canadian Milos Raonic is expected to step it up this season and take his career to some new heights. The 'Newcomer of the year' is one of the few teen sensations on the ATP tour and with a booming serve that constantly exceeds 200 mph, Raonic could prove a force to be reckoned with in future years. He started 2012 in Chennai where the number fourth seed showed a glimpse of his enormous potential by capturing a dream week which saw him collect his second ATP title.

Benefiting from an inaugural round bye, Milos' first test came against Victor Hanescu. Relying on his usual assets, i.e. powerful serves and whipping forehands, he was in for a quick day at the office, breezing past the Romanian 6-1,6-4. As he went on to tackle Dudi Sela in the quarterfinals, his serve made the difference once again as he survived Israeli's stiff challenge and triumphed 7-6,6-4. His next encounter was expected to be his toughest so far, as second seeded Spaniard Nicolas Almagro started off as the clear favourite. The young Canadian did not look intimated though, cruising through a double 6-4 win and booking his place in his third final of his career. Last year he defeated Fernando Verdasco to claim his maiden trophy in San Jose, then went on to lose a tight affair in the Memphis finale against American Andy Roddick. So far all his final acts have been labour intensive and Chennai was not about to go down otherwise. His opponent, the recent top 10 acquisition, Serbian Janko Tipsarevic, was not willing to give this up easily. But nor was Milos. After a three hours and 14 minutes marathon, the Canadian was able to close it out, winning the third set tiebreaker 7-4 and ensuring a 6-7,7-6,7-6 victory. Throughout his battle with Janko, he emphasized once more his main weapon throwing 35 aces and fighting off several break points to never surrender his serve. Moreover, he became the first player to win a tournament without doing so since Federer conquered Halle in 2008.

Two top 10 wins and a new crown backed by a solid display gave Raonic the perfect start to his 2012 campaign, as the Canadian looks well pose to capitalize on his breakthrough season and achieve his goals.

Young gun, Canadian Milos Raonic, proved his strength, overcoming Serbian Janko Tipsarevic 6-7,7-6,7-6 to claim his second career title in Chennai.

photos: GETTY IMAGES

Red Heart Alarm

After an off-season in which they had the chance to relax, recharge their batteries and heal their jaded bodies, the top guns of tennis were expected to come out swinging at the start of the new year. Nevertheless, what happened was by far a different scenario, with a string of top names picking up injuries at their first showing. 

The first days of 2012 saw the much anticipated return of two fierce champions as Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters were set to make a comeback in Brisbane. Serena hasn't played since losing the US Open final to Sam Stosur, while Kim has been sidelined for much of 2011. Their time on the court didn't last long though. If the American survived two matches before twisting her ankle, the Belgian made it until the semifinals when a hip injury prevented her from completing her encounter with Slovak Daniela Hantuchova. The outcome marked another missed chance to see the two go head-to-head. And with a blurry future ahead of us, these chances are becoming scarcer by the day. Clijsters' days are already numbered, as the Belgian announced she is not making any plans after the London Olympics this summer. The American on the other hand has always been a part-time player. At 30 years old and riding on a string of recent injuries, Serena is not expected to feature in too many tournaments in the years to come. Therefore, it's such a pity that when these fine women of tennis decide to play, they are prevented from giving their all by their fading bodies. Nevertheless, looking at the positives, in both cases the injuries are not serious enough to stop them from taking part in the first Grand Slam of 2012 in Melbourne where both have experienced past success. Kim is the defending champion, while Serena has five crowns under her belt.

Besides the duo, German rising star Sabine Lisicki withdrawn from Auckland after sustaining a back injury during her quarterfinal clash against compatriot Angelique Kerber. The latest to confirm that the WTA tour is hit by a severe injury plague was Italian Flavia Pennetta. Flavia's timing was without a doubt the worst. After a strong week of tennis in Auckland in which she did not lose a set, she looked well pose for a straight sets final win against Chinese Jie Zheng . Then the inevitable stroke. From a set and 2-0 up, Pennetta managed to win a sole game before forfeiting the dispute while being 2-0 down in the decider, awarding her opponent an unexpected crown. In her case, it looks as though she is dealing with a recurring back problem, the same that ruined most of the previous season.

There are worrying news also from the men's camp, as red-hot Roger Federer withdrawn from his semifinal date with French Tsonga accusing back problems. According to his statement, he sustained the damaged during a routine second round defeat of Slovak Grega Zemlja and the problem got worst while playing Italian Andreas Seppi in the quarterfinals. This injury comes just days after the Swiss expressed concern about  his aging body not being able to hold on physically to the endurance of the ATP tour matches. So far, Roger has been a master at staying injury free. In his career he picked up one or two small problems, but luckily nothing too serious. This enabled him to have such a long, fruitful career. I pretty much hope things will remain uncharged, as the Swiss needs full health and a strong physical condition if he wants to challenge the reign of Djokovic, Nadal and Murray.

While all of these players experienced some inconveniences during the past week, so far all have remained confident on their chances at the Australian Open. Wish to see them all at full strength in Melbourne!

photos: GETTY IMAGES