2015 Australian Open: Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic & the Top 5 Storylines to Watch
The 2015 Australian Open is the first of the four major tennis grand slam tournaments.
The other three of course being the French Open, U.S. Open and Wimbledon. The best tennis players from around the world will be competing for the championship.
Having said that, here's five big storylines to look forward to this tournament:
1. Rafael Nadal Making His Move
Nadal has won 14 career grand slam singles championships in his incredible career, which ties him for second place with Pete Sampras. The 28-year-old Spaniard has won at least one grand slam title every year for the last 10 years, a record many believe is unbeatable.
Nine of Nadal's 14 grand slam wins have come at the French Open, and he has just one victory at the Australian Open in 2009. Many believe Nadal could be the greatest tennis player of all time when it's all said and done.
2. Roger Federer Goes For No. 18
In case you were wondering, the tennis player with the most career grand slam single titles ever is Switzerland's own Roger Federer. Federer has won 17 grand slam tournaments, four of which have come at the Australian Open.
As good as Federer is, he hasn't won the Australian Open since 2010 and has just one major championship in the last four years -- the 2012 Wimbledon tournament. Now is the time for Federer to prove to his doubters he's not finished.
3. European Dominance
This just in, Europe is really good at tennis. A European tennis player has won the last 20 consecutive majors dating back to the 2009 U.S. Open when Juan Martín del Potro of Argentina won.
Overall, Europe has won an incredible 39 of the last 40 majors and the last 11 Australian Opens. With Nadal, Federer and Novak Djokovic leading the way this year, don't expect things to change.
4. Can United States End Drought?
Remember when Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras used to be two of the best players in the world? It feels like so long ago, mostly because the United States just hasn't had an elite prominent tennis player on the big stage.
The last time an American born tennis player won a grand slam title was at the 2003 U.S. Open when Andy Roddick was victorious. John Isner (No. 21) is the top ranked American tennis player this year, and the odds are heavily stacked against him.
5. Novak Djokovic Looks to Stay On Top
While Nadal and Federer have dominated much of the 21st century with a combined 31 grand slam victories, Novak Djokovic is the up and comer. He's the Rory McIlroy of tennis, if you will. Djokovic is just 27 years old, and he has already won seven career grand slam singles titles.
Most importantly, Djokovic has won the Australian Open four times, including three of the last four years. Djokovic is currently the No. 1 ranked player in the world.
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