The draw for the Australian Open has put a devious twist on things.

Justine Henin will enjoy the challenge: The no.1 seed will have it tough, but her winning streak has just rolled on to yet another title in Sydney. She has yet to lose a match ever since her comeback in Toronto and is pretty much ready to motor on in Melbourne.

Her first projected challenge will be a fourth-round encounter with France’s Tatiana Golovin. The Belgian endured two tough finals against the feisty fighter in her European indoors season. Maria Sharapova and Lindsay Davenport are the most likely contenders to take on Justine in a mouthwatering quarter-final. The world No.1’s main threats will once again be the Williams sisters as there could be a clash with Serena in the semi-final and war in the final against Venus. But we must remember that Justine is bursting with confidence with her impressive wins over them last year. She didn’t compete last year, so with little to nothing pressure Justine is a safe bet to take her second Australian Open crown.

'Although there is feisty competition, the Williams sisters and Henin are pretty much the foreseeable winners'


Serena is set to roll: Her practice sessions of late have been remarkable. The defending champion will most likely up her game as she goes through the draw.

Last year was a whole different story and her semi-final victim Nicole Vaidisova will want some revenge as they are projected to meet in a feisty fourth round. Jelena Jankovic will keep the American on the run in a tough quarter-final, but by that stage of the game Serena should be set to remind the Serbian of her crushing defeat last year.

But the American will have to call upon her reserves of strength if she wants to even out the playing field against  Henin in a much-anticipated fight in the semi-final. Although their past battles have been a let-down, it could be an all-Williams sister final as older sister Venus will surely put Serena through her paces. The No.7 seed and three-time champion will come into Melbourne aiming to extend her Grand Slam tally to nine.

Venus is ready to rock: She comes into the first Grand Slam of the year with a superb title run in Hong Kong where she dismantled Elena Dementieva and Maria Sharapova.

She should power past Marion Bartoli in the fourth round and once again send glamour girl Ana Ivanovic packing, like she did in the last two Slams. An in-form Svetlana Kuznetsova will pitch tough against the no.8 seed but in her current form Venus should sprint into the final with little trouble. Serena or Justine will most likely be the problem, but Venus is ready to finally win the Australian Open. It would be foolish to underestimate her, as her form of late has been superb.

Maria Sharapova will be put to the test: Russian scarlet Sharapova is projected to star in the first all-mighty clash, as a possible encounter with Lindsay Davenport in the second round will test last year’s finalist. She comes into that as the favourite to advance but Henin will mostly likely await her in the quarter-finals. Although she does have a fighting chance against the Belgian, she wouldn’t want another slug fest with the Williams sisters. Overall the draw hasn’t been kind to the No.5 seed and Maria will have to play out of her skin if she wants to upstage the likes of  Henin.

Serbians slaughtered: Jelena Jankovic’s and Ana Ivanovic’s form coming into Melbourne have not been up to scratch, but they should blast their way through to the quarter-finals. But the Williams sisters are most likely to be the Serbian slayers. They make their mark at no.3 and no.4, but wins over two in-form Williams sisters is asking a lot. Can they really live up to their rankings?

Others to watch out for: Of course Davenport has to be watched carefully, as her comeback continues. Amelie Mauresmo lurks in Jankovic’s territory, but if the 2006 champion is going to stage her finest she isn’t giving us any clues as injuries and poor form are playing down all expectations.

Nadia Petrova and Elena Dementieva could stage a fight and Daniela Hantuchova could be the dark horse of the bottom half. Anna Chakvetadze could follow up her last Grand Slam semi-final appearance in style. Svetlana Kuznetsova's brilliant form of late will be put to the test as if she wants to claim the bottom half Venus Williams, Ana Ivanovic and Anna Chakvetadze will be in her way.

Although there is feisty competition, the Williams sisters and Henin are pretty much the foreseeable winners, while the fortnight will put Sharapova and the Serbians to the test.

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