Entire Top 100 Men set for 2015 Australian Open

Craig Tiley is describing the field as one of the “deepest and strongest” in history

Australia Open organisers have set pulses racing for the opening Grand Slam of 2015 with the announcement that every member of the Top 100 on the men’s side of the game have entered to play in the tournament. Add that to the fact that 99 of the women’s Top 100 have also entered the 2015 Australian Open and you can see why the chief executive of Tennis Australia Craig Tiley is describing the field as one of the “deepest and strongest” in history.

Organisers will hope that players can maintain their health better than during last year’s Australian Open, where 5 of the top 32 seeds in the men’s draw were forced to withdraw with injury. Combine that with the most high profile injury of the 2014 fortnight which was suffered by Rafael Nadal in the Final, the Spaniard going on to lose the match.

All Eyes on 2014 Finalists Rafa and Stan

Stan Warwinka overcame an injured Nadal 6–3, 6–2, 3–6, 6–3 in the Final to win his maiden Grand Slam last year and all eyes will be on both men at this year’s Australian Open. Wawrinka will have the pressure of coming in as defending champions, which has been known to do strange things to players in the past.

The Swiss number 2 certainly has a post-Australian Open lull in 2014 that saw him drag his feet though much of the remainder of 2014, However, as 2014 came to a close with saw glimpses of his highest level at the ATP World Tour Finals followed by the Davis Cup Final. He pushed Federer all the way in the semi-final in London and should not be discounted from going all the way again this year down under.

Rafael Nadal will share much of the focus heading into the first Grand Slam of the year as it will be he first major competition since suffering from appendicitis at the close of 2014. Nadal has struggled to put in a full season for the last couple of years and every time fan’s are worried that he might not fully bounce back to his original level. Thankfully in the past he has returned and looked as hungry as ever and if Nadal were to be lifting the trophy at the end of January nobody would be overly shocked.

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