Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams named top seeds at the 2015 Australian Open
Melbourne, Jan 14: World No.1s Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams were Wednesday installed as the top seeds of their respective draws for the Australian Open scheduled to be held from January 19 to February 1.
Four-time Melbourne Park winner Djokovic, 27, will be looking to atone for a quarterfinal exit at last year's event at the hands of eventual champion Stan Wawrinka, while five-time Australian Open winner Williams, 33, will be looking to snap a five-year drought in the first Grand Slam of the season, having not won the Australian Open since 2010.
Spaniard David Ferrer is the men's ninth seed following the withdrawal of US Open champion and World No. 9 Marin Cilic with a right shoulder injury, while the 2008 Australian Open runner-up and World No. 12 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will miss the event with a forearm strain.
Wawrinka is seeded fourth for the defence of his only major to date, while 2014 US Open runner-up Kei Nishikori is the tournament's fifth seed.
The top 32-ranked women make up the 32 seeds in Melbourne, with Williams and 2008 Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova the top two seeds.
The official draw for Australian Open 2015 will take place at Melbourne Park Friday, with defending champions Wawrinka and Li Na, who was forced to retire last September because of persistent knee injuries, in attendance.
Australian Open 2015 seedings
Top 10 men's seeds:
1. Novak Djokovic (SRB)
2. Roger Federer (SUI)
3. Rafael Nadal (ESP)
4. Stan Wawrinka (SUI)
5. Kei Nishikori (JPN)
6. Andy Murray (GBR)
7. Tomas Berdych (CZE)
8. Milos Raonic (CAN)
9. David Ferrer (ESP)
10. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL)
Top 10 women's seeds:
1. Serena Williams (USA)
2. Maria Sharapova (RUS)
3. Simona Halep (ROU)
4. Petra Kvitova (CZE)
5. Ana Ivanovic (SRB)
6. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)
7. Eugenie Bouchard (CAN)
8. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)
9. Angelique Kerber (GER)
10. Ekaterina Makarova (RUS)