Australian Open 2016: We pick three outside bets for the men's singles title
Tuesday 19 January 2016 15:41, UK
With Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Stan Wawrinka still ruling the men's game we pick two serious outside contenders for the Australian open title.
When Marat Safin won in Melbourne back in 2005 nobody would have thought those five men would have taken such a stranglehold on the game as they have done over the past 10 years.
Only Juan Martin del Potro at the 2009 US Open final broke the cycle.
Here, we take a look at two other big names who can go a long way in Melbourne and potentially win it!
Kei Nishikori
Nishikori reached a career high of four last March and although the 26-year-old began this season with a quarter-final defeat to Bernard Tomic at the Brisbane International, he will be one to keep a close eye on at the Australian Open. As a dark horse, former US Open finalist Nishikori has the speed, agility and guile around the court to be a nuisance to any opponent.
After retaining his titles in Memphis and Barcelona, the Japanese trailblazer added the Washington crown to his nine ATP singles titles last year. With former tennis legend Michael Chang by his side, Nishikori will be hoping to go one better than his quarter-final appearances in 2012 and 2015 at the Australian Open.
World No 7 Nishikori will face 34th-ranked German Philipp Kohlschreiber in the first round of the Australia Open.
If the seventh-seeded Nishikori comes through the early rounds, he could face French ninth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the fourth round, with defending champion Novak Djokovic a potential opponent in the quarter-finals.
Milos Raonic
The hard-hitting Canadian laid down his Australian Open credentials with a blistering start to the year by winning his eighth ATP singles title at the Brisbane International. After losing coach Ivan Ljubicic to Roger Federer leading into 2016, the 25-year-old got one back on the 17-time major winner to hand him a huge boost heading to Melbourne.
Raonic missed the last three weeks of 2015 with a back problem, was absent from the French Open earlier in the season with a foot injury, parted company with Ljubicic and finished out of the top 10. "With the difficulties I've had last year, it's maybe a good way for me to show the other guys I will face going in Melbourne, you know, I've got my stuff back together and I can play some good tennis again," he said.
Carlos Moya will join Raonic's coaching crew for the first Grand Slam of the year and the 6ft 5in former Wimbledon semi-finalist will hope his fans will 'believe in the sleeve' as he eyes his first major final.
Raonic faces Frenchman Lucas Pouille in the first round with a potential showdown against Stan Wawrinka in the fourth round and then Rafa Nadal in the quarter-finals.
We will bring you all the news, views and reaction from the Australian Open starting on Monday.
