It’s that time of year again. The Australian Open men’s and Women’s draws are done and dusted, and it’s my job to dissect them - secondary school biology class style, so here goes. As I’m such a gentleman, it’s ladies first.

First Section

Atop of the first section stands our world number one Caroline Wozniacki, and for once she really hasn’t got it easy. Upset queen Gisela Dulko in the first round, her Sydney conqueror Dominika Cibulkova awaiting in the third round, Jarmila fucking Groth/Marion Bartoli predicted to meet her in the fourth round and then Justine Henin/Svetlana Kuznetsova or Francesca Schiavone in the quarters. The skies ahead are looking stormy for “Little Miss Sunshine”.

But there’s a reason they actually play these matches. Anything can happen, and it usually does on the WTA. This section is undoubtedly one of the most packed in the draw (10 Grand Slams between them), and so all eyes will be here to see how things unfold. Even many of the first round matches are great. There is of course Woz’s aforementioned match against Giant-killah Gisela, and then we have the first rounder between Jarka “I’m not a fucking tourist” Groth and the source of all evil, Yanina Wickmayer. This will promise to be an affair full of foul-mouthed tirades and ill-tempered big babe ballstriking with a touch of athleticism for good measure. However, I can only see Jarka coming away with the ‘W’. She’s such a talented player, and it all seems like things are slowly-but-surely coming together for her. She obviously beat Sam Stosur in her first tournament of 2011 and is currently in the finals of Hobart, so she’s going to be tough to beat. Jokes aside, there seems to be so much hype surrounding Yanina Wickmayer, yet nothing to show for it. She may have reached the US Open semis, but we all saw first-hand just how messed up that draw was - the fact that the 18th-seeded Virginie Razzano was her biggest scalp en route to a slam semi pretty much says it all. She is still yet to beat a top ten player at a WTA event.

On a personal note, the Anastasija Sevastova vs Polona Hercog first rounder is something that both excited me and annoys me. Two young players blessed with such attractive games. The two people watching the match are in for one hell of a treat. Wish I was one of them.

Moving on into the draw, the third round matches are looking pretty good. Karolina against Cibulkova is a must-see after the upset in Sydney, and Marion Bartoli’s match against Groth/Wickmayer could be fun, too. Finally, there is, of course, the potential third round match between Svetlana Kuznetsova and Justine Henin. Remember when they used to meet in slam finals? It was really fun about 3 years ago when we began to have these crazy draws, and we laughed heartily at them, but now it just sucks. Majorly. They should be playing in the quarters, semis or finals of slams, not the third round. And this only one of many early matches at this year’s Australian Open, that could have/already have easily been slam finals at some time or another. Anyways, it is what it is. If Sveta can find some form and lose all the inhibitions, then she could easily make it interesting, but I’m expecting a win for Justine. Prove me wrong Sveta. I beg you, please prove me wrong.

And now for the hard part. Well, in all honesty, this isn’t a particularly tough choice. Christine really is the overwhelming favourite. I’ll never count Francesca out after her brilliant victory over Justine back in 2008, I think Wozniacki could give her some problems should she reach that stage – we saw those moonballzz work a treat against Justine last year in Miami, and there is also that classic Marion Bartoli match involving Justine – yes, that match. But Justine is the overwhelming favourite from this quarter, and I’m too chicken to go against her.

Pick: Justine Henin.