Australian Open to start in Melbourne

Novak Djokovic will seek an unprecedented third straight title and Serena Williams is hot favourite for the women’s trophy when the Australian Open gets under way in Melbourne on Monday.

Williams, tipped for the first calendar-year Grand Slam since 1988, did her best to dampen expectations before she begins her bid for a sixth Australian Open title, and 16th major win, against Edina Gallovits-Hall on Tuesday.

Top seed Victoria Azarenka is defending a Grand Slam title for the first time and Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska is on a hot streak after winning two titles already this year.

Maria Sharapova plays fellow Russian Olga Puchkova on Monday as she starts her bid for a fifth Grand Slam title, while China’s former French Open winner Li Na, the 2011 runner-up in Melbourne, is also among the top contenders.