Novak Djokovic is in the kind of form that has rivals no less than Rafael Nadal describing it as being close to perfection. Serena Williams has been injured, has hardly played since the US Open and had to withdraw from her only tune-up event ahead of the Australian Open. The preparations of the reigning champions couldn't be more contrasting in the week leading up to the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. They have one thing in common, though: they're both favorites to win again, having each won three of the four majors in 2015. Serena Williams has won six Australian titles, Djokovic has won five — neither player has lost a final at Melbourne Park. At a ceremony preceding the tournament draw Friday, Serena and Djokovic posed for photos with the Australian Open trophies in front of Rod Laver Arena. It was only when told they had to hand back the trophies that Djokovic replied, half-jokingly, "What do you mean they're not ours?" His intentions are clear. In some ways, Serena's condition reflects the state of play in the upper ranks of the women's game. Most players in the top 10 have withdrawn from a tournament or retired from a match in the first two weeks of the season. Serena played one set at the Hopman Cup, where she was hampered by inflammation in her left knee. No. 2 Simona Halep (Achilles tendon) and Maria Sharapova (left forearm) withdrew from the Brisbane International without playing a match, and No. 3 Garbine Muguruza retired during her first match with an injured foot. Agnieszka Radwanska (leg) and Petra Kvitova (illness) withdrew from other warmup tournaments and No. 9 Lucie Safarova announced early she wasn't competing in Australia because of a bacterial infection. Angelique Kerber reached the final in Brisbane, where she lost to resurgent two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, before withdrawing from Sydney, where Halep returned to action. "Everything is actually really well. Feeling really good. Excited about it," Serena said. "OK. I'm ready now." Serena will open against No. 34 Camila Giorgi of Italy Monday. She could also meet former No. 1-ranked Caroline Wozniacki in the fourth round and No. 5 Sharapova in the quarterfinals — a rematch of the 2015 final. The former No. 1-ranked Azarenka was seeded No. 14 and ended up on the bottom half of the draw with No. 2 Halep, No. 3 Muguruza and No. 8 Venus Williams, avoiding Serena and Sharapova. While much was made of Serena Williams' near miss of the Grand Slam, Djokovic was only one defeat from a perfect Grand Slam season, too. He lost French Open final to Stan Wawrinka and finished 27-1 in Grand Slam play and 82-6 overall in 2015 — four of his six losses were in finals. He opened 2016 with a crushing 6-1, 6-2 over 14-time major winner Nadal in the Qatar Open final. "I played against a player who did everything perfect," Nadal said. "I know nobody playing tennis like this ever. Since I know this sport, I never saw somebody playing at this level." Djokovic opens against Chung Hyeon of South Korea, and could meet Kei Nishikori in the quarterfinals and Roger Federer in the semis. No. 2 Andy Murray, who has lost four Australian Open finals including the 2015 edition, is on the bottom half of the draw with Nadal and Warwinka. Federer, who lost five finals to Djokovic in 2015, said the Qatar Open final score emphasized the difference between the No. 1-ranked player and the rest. — AP
