Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley is confident the top men and women will compete in January. Speaking at Melbourne Park today, Tiley said he was in constant communication with every player whose health and conditioning is in doubt.
Serena Williams (match-fitness)
“I’m in touch every day with her and her management team. I believe she will be [playing]. She has made it very clear to me that this is her favourite event and she will do everything she possibly can to be here,” Tiley said about Serena, who recently showed promising signs in an exhibition match at Abu Dhabi against Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko
“Her whole life revolves around getting ready. I’m pretty confident in my communication with her that she wants to be here and when Serena wants something, she usually gets it.”
Andy Murray (hip)
“He’s had a tough end of the season with his hip and his groin. It’s a day-by-day thing with him, he’s going to stay [in Brisbane] and keep training and if it goes well he’ll come down to Melbourne. It’s a matter of him getting on the court and feeling good about it. He wants to come down so I do expect to see him in Melbourne.”
Novak Djokovic (elbow)
“He’s playing Tie Break Tens on Wednesday Night, a new event we’re hosting at Margaret Court Arena. He’ll be playing that and he’s also got some specific practice matches lined up,” Tiley said of the six-time Australian Open champion.
Djokovic called time on his season after severe inflammation of his injured elbow. The Serb has spent an intense pre-season training in Monte Carlo with Coach Andre Agassi, Grigor Dimitrov, Tomas Berdych and many more of the game’s elite. “I spoke to Novak. He’s already got every hour of the day planned between when he arrives and the start of the Australian Open. He’ll be ready,” Tiley said.
Rafael Nadal (knee)
“[Rafa’s] on his way down here now so he’ll be ready. It’s not dissimilar from last year… Last year we were talking about the health of Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer and Serena Williams and two weeks later they were playing each other in the final.”
Kei Nishikori (back)
Tiley also wished three times Australian Open quarterfinalist Kei Nishikori well in his ongoing rehabilitation from a back injury sustained in 2017. “We expected that with Kei. He hasn’t pulled up well since Wimbledon really. It’s taken a long time for him to get back and healthy,” Tiley said of Nishikori, who withdrew from the Australian Open early this morning.
“He left it as late as possible because he wants to play. He wants to give himself every single chance to play but he’s just not 100% -- and he’s got the kind of game where you need to be 100%."
When asked how the 2018 Australian Open could possibly top last year’s historic tournament, Tiley emphasised the importance of breathing new life into both the men’s and women’s game, while still celebrating the legends. “The big names we’ve had and the gap between them and the new generation – both on the women’s and men’s side – has closed ... You’ll see Grigor Dimitrov, Alex Zverev, Dominic Thiem and Nick Kyrgios -- and on the women’s side people like Ash Barty - have chances to go deep in the second week,” the Tiley told media.
“There’s new stories, which we want in the game. New youth, which we want in the game. But Roger Federer’s playing the best tennis right now. So is Rafa Nadal. How do we top last year? Have [the 2017 final] repeated.”