GLIDING INTO THE 2017 AUSTRALIAN OPEN

This Week In Tennis
Season 2, Vol. 2

The 2017 Grand Slam season gets underway on Sunday in Melbourne, with tennis' biggest stars once again in search of their sport's ultimate prize. The second week of full play on both tennis tours produced four singles winners: Johanna Konta (Sydney), Jack Sock (Auckland) Gilles Muller (Sydney), Elise Mertens (Hobart). For Mertens and Muller, it was their first tour titles. Meanwhile, both Konta and Sock secured the second titles of their careers. 
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​For these and other stories, #ThisWeekInTennis recaps last week's tennis action through news reports, player tweets, tennis writing, rankings, and podcasts. In addition, this volume with prepare you for the upcoming fortnight of Grand Slam tennis. 

AFP PHOTO / PAUL CROCK

RUNDOWN

• Johanna Konta continues to sizzle in the early parts of the 2017 season, backing up her quarterfinal run in Shenzhen with a championship effort in Sydney. The top ranked Brit is now 8-1 on the new year. 
• In Auckland, Jack Sock captured the second ATP title of his career. The second ranked American rises three spots to crack the top 20 for the first time in his career, just one spot behind his countryman, John Isner, at #19. 
• A qualifier and champion in Hobart, Elise Mertens surges into the WTA top 100 at #82 after winning the first title of her career. 
• Gilles Muller won the first ATP Tour title of his career in Sydney. The 33-year-old from Luxembourg also rises to a career-high #28 in the latest ATP rankings.  
• Maria Sharapova announced the location of her return to the WTA Tour following her drug suspension. The former world #1 will make her first appearance in Stuttgart, site of three of her 35 WTA titles. 
• Nadia Petrova and Jarmila Wolfe announced their respective retirements from tennis. 

The 2017 Australian Open begins Sunday in Melbourne, with Serena Williams once again in search of Slam title #23. Williams has two main targets this fortnight: surpass Steffi Graf (with whom she's tied for second on the all-time list), and reclaim her top ranking from Angelique Kerber. Meanwhile, Roger Federer returns to Grand Slam action having missed the 2016 U.S. Open. Currently ranked #17, Federer shut down his season after Wimbledon last year to rehab nagging injuries.

​Check out the singles draws below as well as some of the more intriguing first round matches on offer at Melbourne Park. 

2017 AUSTRALIAN OPEN DRAWS

MEN'S SINGLES

WOMEN'S SINGLES

FIRST ROUND MATCHES TO WATCH

Men

Raonic vs Brown
Lopez vs Fognini
Djokovic vs Verdasco
Nadal vs Mayer
​Dolgopolov vs Coric
Paire vs Haas
Sock vs Herbert
​Cilic vs Janowicz

Women

Mladenovic vs Konjuh
Bacsinszky vs Giorgi
Konta vs Flipkens
Siniakova vs Goerges
Riske vs Brengle
Vinci vs Vandeweghe
Bouchard vs Cirico
​S. Williams vs Bencic

Thank you for everything this week Auckland! Perfect start to '17 □ #TitleTown #KcGainzz □□ pic.twitter.com/xwQ9tb92N2

— Jack Sock (@JackSock) January 14, 2017

First WTA singles title and into the top 100! Words can't descripe how I'm feeling now. Thanks eveyone for the support! #wta #tennis #happy pic.twitter.com/8m6rc7De89

— Mertens Elise (@elise_mertens) January 14, 2017

I need to learn how to smile □ https://t.co/BpXkXAecSE

— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@Naomi_Osaka_) January 14, 2017

Et C est parti pour @AustralianOpen avec la fine équipe d @EurosportFrance @EmilieLoit @FredVerdier and @FOXSportsAsia as well □ #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/rBfaCxZbtS

— Marion bartoli (@bartoli_marion) January 16, 2017

Nick https://t.co/niFjhDCvzW

— Melbourne, Australia (@Melbourne) January 12, 2017

Uber driver "hey, you look like @andy_murray."
Me - "yeh I get that a lot"
Uber Driver - "you're much better looking mind you." Cheers Mate!

— Jamie Murray (@jamie_murray) January 16, 2017

Drinking buddies.... Hey, it's a long flight to Australia!!!□□□ pic.twitter.com/RXIEzMdNQf

— Chris Evert (@ChrissieEvert) January 13, 2017

I just made a promise to myself that I stop bothering Ana about her eyebrows now □ #enoughisenough

— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@Naomi_Osaka_) January 15, 2017

You know when you wanna like a picture on Instagram but it has exactly eg 300 likes&you don't wanna mess with that. It's called OCD.

— Andrea Petkovic (@andreapetkovic) January 15, 2017

Thank you Mr President!... I'll miss playing tennis with you at the White House□□ pic.twitter.com/lkgqLdrN8h

— Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki) January 11, 2017

​RANKINGS WATCH

• ​ATP: Kyrgios (+1 to #13), Sock (+3 to #20), Muller (+6 to #28), Johnson (+3 to #30), Troicki (-6 to #35), Sousa (+7 to #37), Evans (+16 to #51), Struff (+6 to #58), Bagnis (-10 to #65), Sela (+20 to #67), Dolgopolov (-6 to #69), Youzhny (-11 to #70), Anderson (-12 to #80), Harrison (-7 to #82)

 

• ​WTA​​:​ Strycova (+3 to #16), Niculescu (+8 to #32), Cornet (-12 to #43), Puig (-14 to #46), Tsurenko (+10 to #51), Bencic (-11 to #59), King (+5 to #75), Mertens (+45 to #82), Duan (+16 to #87), Ozaki (+7 to #93), Schiavone (-4 to #100) 

​ON THE WEB

​Road to 23: The story of Serena's path to greatness
​Dubai Duty Free Tennis: A 25-year-old world-class event, but where's the local talent?
Jack Sock - the spin king who loves life on the road
Will Kerber Repeat Down Under
Australian Open Men's Preview: Who Will Emerge from this Loaded Field
​Australian Open 2017: Spectators banned for a day after setting off flares
​Australian Open 2017: #ATPNextGen Zverev's family affair​
​Roger Federer's bucket list, like his career, still unfinished
With the Tennis Season Beginning, a Wish List for 2017
​As Australian Open Begins, Match Fixing Still Casts a Shadow
​2017 Australian Open Seed Reports
​Federer Seeks to Return With Power, Thanks to Nadal’s Strength
​Looking to Watch Women's Tennis? For Now, Good Luck

​PODCASTS

The Body Serve - 2017 Aussie Open Preview: Big 4 Back Together
No Challenges Remaining - Episode 176: Australian Open Draw Show
​Beyond The Baseline - Martina Navratilova previews the 2017 Australian Open
The Tennis Podcast -  LET THE ANALYSIS AND KNEE-JERK REACTION BEGIN
​Realz Tenis Fanz - Aussie Open 2017 Draw Show: Ole School Dayz
WTA Insider - Australian Open Preview: Wide Open Spaces
Tennis.com - AUSTRALIAN OPEN SPECIAL: DISSECTING THE DRAWS
Tennis Connected - Previewing the 2017 Australian Open
Mind The Racket - Ana’s Legacy and What 2017 Needs