Djokovic, Williams top seeds at Australian Open

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Novak Djokovic of Serbia (L) and Serena Williams of the US ©AFP
Novak Djokovic of Serbia (L) and Serena Williams of the US ©AFP

World number ones Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams were named the top seeds on Thursday for next week’s Australian Open with organisers aligning with the current rankings.

Djokovic is chasing his sixth title after beating Andy Murray in last year’s final, while Williams, battling a knee injury, is after her seventh Australian crown.

Murray, who has lost in four Australian finals, three of them to Djokovic, is the second seed ahead of 17-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer.

Fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka, who won in Melbourne in 2014, is the fourth seed with Rafael Nadal at five.

French world number nine Richard Gasquet was not among the seedings for the year’s opening Grand Slam because of a back injury.

Romania’s Simona Halep is the second seed in the bottom half of the women’s draw ahead of Spain’s Garbine Muguruza and Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska.

Maria Sharapova, the 2008 champion, is fifth seed, while two-time winner Victoria Azarenka of Belarus is seeded at 14.

World number nine Lucie Safarova is skipping the Australian Open because of health problems linked to a bacterial infection, while Italy’s Flavia Pennetta, ranked at eight, retired from the sport after her win at last year’s US Open.

The 2016 Australian Open runs from January 18-31.

Men

Women

1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 1. Serena Williams (USA)
2. Andy Murray (GBR) 2. Simona Halep (ROM)
3. Roger Federer (SUI) 3. Garbine Muguruza (ESP)
4. Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 4.  Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)
5. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 5. Maria Sharapova (RUS)
6. Tomas Berdych (CZE) 6. Petra Kvitova (CZE)
7. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 7. Angelique Kerber (GER)
8. David Ferrer (ESP) 8. Venus Williams (USA)
9. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 9. Karolina Pliskova (CZE)
10. John Isner (USA) 10. Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP)
11. Kevin Anderson (RSA) 11. Timea Bacsinszky (SUI)
12. Marin Cilic (CRO) 12. Belinda Bencic (SUI)
13. Milos Raonic (CAN) 13. Roberta Vinci (ITA)
14. Gilles Simon (FRA) 14. Victoria Azarenka (BLR)
15. David Goffin (BEL) 15. Madison Keys (USA)
16. Bernard Tomic (AUS) 16. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)
17. Benoit Paire (FRA) 17. Sara Errani (ITA)
18. Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 18. Elina Svitolina (UKR)
19. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 19. Jelena Jankovic (SRB)
20. Fabio Fognini (ITA) 20. Ana Ivanovic (SRB)
21. Viktor Troicki (SRB) 21. Ekaterina Makarova (RUS)
22. Ivo Karlovic (CRO) 22. Andrea Petkovic (GER
23. Gael Monfils (FRA) 23. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)
24. Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) 24. Sloane Stephens (USA)
25. Jack Sock (USA) 25. Samantha Stosur (AUS)
26. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) 26. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)
27. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 27. Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (SVK)
28. Andreas Seppi (ITA) 28. Kristina Mladenovic (FRA)
29. Nick Kyrgios (AUS) 29. Irina-Camelia Begu (ROM)
30. Jeremy Chardy (FRA) 30. Sabine Lisicki (GER)
31. Steve Johnson (USA) 31. Lesia Tsurenko (UKR)
32. Joao Sousa (POR) 32.Caroline Garcia (FRA)